


Warmth

by Zhana



Series: Falling in Love [1]
Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Amanda is really just there to tease them, Cuddling & Snuggling, Diakko Week, Dianakko Week, F/F, First Aid, Fluff, Flying Practice, Girls Kissing, Handholding, It's really nothing but fluff, Literal Hurt/Comfort, More Fluff, Romance, Shared Dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-01-04 17:05:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12173127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zhana/pseuds/Zhana
Summary: They've never felt warmer than when they were in each other's arms.





	1. Longing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to have this completely done before posting it, but I also wanted to post it in time for Diakko Week, so... enjoy.  
> Edit: Chapter 1 updated as of June 18, 2018.

It should have been cold. Up here, it should have been beyond freezing. The curved horizon of the great wide Earth stretching out below; star-speckled black of space above. Here on high, it should have chilled her to the core. But all she felt was warmth. Warmth the likes of which she'd not felt in years. The warmth of the magic that protected their bodies, growing stronger by the moment, fueled by pure belief radiating off the globe below. And the warmth of the body standing beside her astride a winged broom. She turned to face her, her entire form aglow with power; pale in comparison to the radiant smile on her face. She did her best to return it, sharing a soft giggle together. Her hand reached out, touching hers just briefly, her entire form feeling warmer still at the contact, fleeting though it was.

They grasped the staff together, holding it aloft, their voices ringing as one as they cried into the void. Their bodies followed suit perfectly in sync; she leaned back into her and she pressed back, supporting her in turn. She felt her hand beneath her palm again as they brought the mighty bow to bear. They drew their arms back, feeling raw magic coalescing at their fingertips. They let it go with a mighty shout; everything went white in a flash of blinding light engulfing the sky before them.

Diana cracked her eyes open with a groan, the familiar ceiling of her dormitory coming into focus; hazy blurs shifting to defined detail. She blinked slowly, tiredly, a weary frown on her lips as she could yet vividly recall the dream she'd had. The _reoccurring_ dream she'd had _again_. How many nights since the Noir Missile Crisis had her dreams been fixated on reliving the event? Her hand moved up to pinch the bridge of her nose with a sigh as she pondered her seeming subconscious obsession. Lifting her hand away from her face slightly, she watched her thumb bending in to caress her palm, a faint shiver running through her as she thought she could yet feel the warm touch of another's skin against hers.

Sighing softly again, the blonde reached over to throw off her comforter, gracefully swinging herself up out of bed. Her entire body gave an immediate shudder; hands quickly moving to tuck her robe a bit closer around her body to protect against the morning chill, tightening the sash around her waist for good measure. Turning the corner of the bookshelf that partitioned her private corner from the rest of the dorm room, she glanced across the living space; the other two beds were vacant. She briefly considered it odd that she'd slept in longer than her roommates; normally she was the first up, stirring her friends before proceeding about their morning routines.

Quickly dismissing their absence as a simple, rare oddity, the heiress proceeded past the desk the two shared and into their private washroom. She was immediately greeted by both of her roommates, still mid-way into getting ready for the day ahead.

"Good morning Diana," Hannah called, briefly glancing away from the mirror she stood in front of to acknowledge her newly awoken roommate. She looked to be mostly finished getting ready, fully dressed in her uniform, only the task of tying her bright auburn hair back in her preferred ponytail remaining.

Barbara, by comparison, looked fresh out of the shower, her body wrapped in a towel as she ran her wand down the length of her raven hair, using a simple spell to dry the damp locks.

"Good morning," she echoed her friend's greeting as she dried herself.

"Good morning you two," Diana returned the greeting with a gentle smile, walking past her friends to step up into the shower, "might I ask why you didn't wake me?" She drew the curtain across the tub as she raised the question, stripping out of her robe and depositing it in a hamper.

Though it was a meaningless oddity -she couldn't have slept in longer than them by a half-hour at the most- she still found herself curious at being left to rest rather than woken up along with her roommates. She was met with faint hums and haws as her question was considered, and finally answered by Hannah.

"Well you... seemed to be having a good dream."

Diana paused in reaching down to turn on the shower, frowning slightly as she considered the response, "how so?"

This time Barbara replied, setting her wand down before raising her arms, miming the motions of lifting and drawing a bow, "Shi~ny~ Arc!" she declared, her inflections spot-on, though lacking in any form of enthusiasm.

Hannah at least seemed to find the deadpan act amusing, letting out a fond laugh as she finished with her hair.

Their roommate, however, was in that moment extremely grateful she'd already drawn the curtain around the tub, hiding the furious blush that quickly brightened her cheeks. "W-Was I... talking in my sleep?" she asked, giving an embarrassed cough.

"Not _loudly_ ," Barbara quickly clarified, unable to resist a small giggle at her friend's flustered tone. "We actually did go to wake you; we didn't hear you until we were beside your bed. If it makes you feel better."

Diana wasn't sure if it did or not, just letting out a quiet sigh as she turned the shower on, allowing thoughts of her embarrassment fade in the refreshing cascade of water.

* * *

 

Elsewhere in the dormitories, another student of Luna Nova awoke from her own comforting dreams. Akko's usually bright red eyes remained half-lidded over, a blissful smile on her face as she wiggled cozily against her mattress. Her eyes flickered more and more open as she lost the perception that it was another person against her back, shutting again as her mouth stretched open in a yawn before snapping back to a happy grin.

Tossing off her blanket, she leapt out of her bed, squealing and dancing about as her toes first touched the cool wooden floor. Jumping from one foot to the other, her feet eventually flattened out and she walked to the shared desk that spanned the wall underneath the window, retrieving a mug filled with toiletries from her segment.

"Lotte, Sucy! Wakey wakey sleepy heads!" the brunette sang, twirling in the middle of the dorm room, the contents of her mug jingling about inside it as she did.

There came a stirring from the top bunk, a head of short orange-ish hair peeking up over the side. "Mmm, morning Akko..." Lotte grumbled tiredly, letting out a soft yawn as she picked her glasses off a shelf, turning to look down at her roommate once she'd slipped them on. "Isn't it Saturday?" she asked curiously, "I thought you'd want to sleep in a bit?"

"Maaaaaybe, normally, I might..." Akko hummed contemplatively, before putting on a big grin, "but everyone said they'd help me with flying practice today, 'member?!"

"Did it occur to you they might have meant after lunch?" a dull voice grumbled from behind Akko.

Blinking, she turned to face the lone bed opposite the bunk, pouting as she looked at the pale-skinned, pink-haired occupant laid out on it like a corpse.

"Su~cy!" Akko whined, shaking her washroom-mug at her, "I don't want to waste a single moment! The more time to practice the better!" she declared vehemently.

"If anyone else is even up," Sucy replied, the single eye left uncovered by her long hair remaining shut as she lay in bed.

Lotte let out a nervous chuckle as Akko resumed pouting with a huff, "You do seem a bit... overeager, almost, Akko," she noted, drawing her excitable roommate's attention back up to her, "Any reason why? I know you're excited to get better at flying, but there's no real rush, right?"

"I guess..." Akko grumbled, her free hand reaching back to scratch her head, "I just feel... happy? Refreshed? I think I had a really good dream!"

Smiling warmly at her friend's reasoning, Lotte nodded her head in understanding, tipping it to one side quizzically when she saw Akko clutch her arms, giving an over-exaggerated "BRRRRR" as a shiver rippled through her body.

"Isn't it a bit early in the year for mornings to be getting this cold? Geez..." Akko grumbled, striding over to their door, "I'm gonna go take a shower, see you two at breakfast!" she called, stepping out of their room.

Lotte watched the door close behind her from her perch on the top bunk, eyes gazing upwards ponderously behind her glasses.

"Sucy... are you cold?"

"Nope."

* * *

 

After taking her shower Akko returned to the bedroom to change into a fresh uniform, finding that the beds minus her own were now neatly made with no sign of her roommates. Figuring she'd either missed them while she was in the shower, or they'd skipped their own to go right to breakfast, she wasted no time in heading down to the cafeteria. Exiting the hallway onto the upper balcony surrounding the public space, she looked down at the few students already up for breakfast that morning; finding no sign of any of her friends.

"That's weird..." Akko mumbled to herself, raising a hand over her eyes like a visor as she squinted and looked over the few occupied tables.

She'd figured it'd be a 50/50 chance whether Lotte and Sucy had gone ahead for breakfast or if she'd just missed them in the washroom; evidently the latter. Nor was it totally unexpected that the green-sashed trio of Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka weren't present; Amanda liked to sleep in, Jasminka glutton she was would at least wait for her friends before a meal, and it was genuinely impossible to know what kind of sleep schedule Constanze operated on. No, what struck her as odd was that there was no sign of Diana, Hannah or Barbara. They were _always_ the first to be awake and down for breakfast.

"Good morning Akko."

Almost as if in psychic response to her curiosity, a familiar voice came from behind her. Its familiarity did nothing to prevent her from being startled by the sudden address though, so focused on peering down over the cafeteria.

Letting out a shriek, Akko barely registered Diana, Hannah, and Barbara standing there as she turned around. Nor did she fully comprehend Hannah and Barbara's expressions changing to panic as she instinctually backpedaled, arms flailing about for balance as she almost sent herself right over the balcony to the floor below. Luckily for her, Diana remained ever the picture of calm and poise, even in the face of a screeching, flailing Japanese girl struggling not to go flying off the railing.

The school's ace calmly reached out, grabbing one of the arms wildly thrashing about in front of her, steadying and pulling its owner back to a proper balance.

"Oh wow, thought I'd have to skip breakfast to visit the nurse again..." Akko panted, bending over to steady herself against her knees as she caught her breath. As she managed to calm her breathing, she turned to look up at her savior, giving her a big warm smile, "Thanks Diana!"

"Of course," she replied with a curt nod, hands slipping to hold each other behind her back, taking her usual relaxed pose. Or at least, as close to relaxed as Diana generally appeared. "Though I must apologize for startling you in the first place. I'd have been absolutely beside myself if you'd gotten hurt simply because I said 'good morning' to you."

"No worries!" Akko told her with her typical chipperness, "I shoulda been paying more attention anyway."

"Yes, you did seem rather... focused on examining the cafeteria. Might I ask why?"

"Oh, hehe..." Akko reached a hand around to rub the back of her head, letting out a nervous chuckle, "I was actually looking for you three."

Hannah and Barbara looked at each other, perplexed at the admission. Diana simply quirked a brow, her lips twitching into a slight, wry smile, "Oh?"

"Mhmm!" The brunette nodded, "It's just that you're like, always the first ones down for breakfast! Was weird that I got here before you."

"Oh, yeah, that'd be 'cause Diana slept in a bit," Hannah blurted out; not seeming to notice Diana's entire form tense up with a slight shudder, nor the look that Barbara gave her.

"Eeeeeeeh?! Diana slept in?!" Akko shouted her surprise, her voice echoing through the nearly-empty cafeteria.

By now what few early-risers were already having breakfast almost all had their attention drawn up to the commotion on the balcony. Akko, faced away from the floor below, didn't notice. Diana, looking out past her shoulder, did.

"A-Anyway..." Diana moved one hand in front of her mouth, coughing into her fist. In part she wanted to change the subject, another part was wanting to disguise the faint glow she could feel warming her cheeks, "why don't we go get our breakfast? I'm sure the others will be down to join us soon."

Akko nodded her head, mouth still agape, gawking at Diana curiously even as she walked down the stairs beside her. Diana did her best to ignore her foreign friend as she strode over to the kitchens; unable to keep herself from occasionally glancing at the still-surprised expression lingering in her periphery.

Finally she let out a sigh, arms dropping to her sides before reaching up to tap Akko's jaw, "You'll catch flies like that."

"Sorry," Akko spoke bashfully, blushing as she rubbed the back of her head, the action succeeding in getting her to close her gaping maw, "but can you blame me?! You never sleep in!"

Diana turned her head away from her for a moment, trying to conceive of some excuse as their group retrieved a breakfast tray each.

"I believe it is something of a right for people to linger in bed longer than they may usually on weekends, no?" she offered as the four made their way to a grouping of tables that could fit their larger circle of nine.

"Well, yeah, but you never do!" Akko scoffed, not seeming to buy the reasoning, "In all the time I've known you, or at least since we all started eating together, you've always been the early riser! First to breakfast, first to class, first to everything!"

"Given you're not around to witness me get out of bed each morning, perhaps what's unusual is that Hannah and Barbara let me today?" Diana shot back, a playful grin on her lips. Rather than covering her potential embarrassment, she actually found herself enjoying the little back and forth she was having with her skeptical friend.

Akko frowned, narrowing her eyes on the blonde as they all sat down; Diana and Akko sitting adjacent to one another, Hannah and Barbara mirroring them at an opposing table. Shifting her gaze, she caught Hannah and Barbara sharing an equally skeptical look with each other, plainly giving away that the very necessity of them having to consider waking Diana was unusual.

"I mean, you did look really peaceful, mumbling about that dre-" Hannah began before being cut-off, letting out a pained cough as Barbara elbowed her side.

"Dre-? You were having a nice dream?" Akko pieced together despite the interruption as she returned to looking at Diana.

Her previously amused expression had turned to one of white shock, color returning to her face as she let out a sigh while Akko watched her curiously.

"Yes, Akko. Apparently I seemed quite content in my slumber, so they left me to sleep a while longer than usual," she admitted, figuring there really wasn't much point in trying to dance around the matter any longer.

Akko let out a giggle, "What a coincidence! I felt so refreshed when I woke up from a really nice dream too," she told them as she nibbled on her breakfast. It was only now she noticed her tray seemed to just be loaded with three servings of hash browns.

"Oh? You as well?" Diana responded with her own soft chuckle, deciding to continue with her honest admissions, "In fact I dreamt of our adventure in the upper atmosphere, firing the Shiny Arc together." She felt rather comfortable in the admission, though she did elect to leave out that it wasn't the first time she'd had the dream.

"Eeeeehhhh? You too?!"

If she had managed to suppress her feelings of embarrassment at simply having had the dream, Akko's response utterly destroyed her sense of calm.

"T-Too, Akko?" she stuttered out, surprise plain on her increasingly red face. She didn't even notice Hannah and Barbara coughing up their breakfast, gasping for air.

"Yeah! I didn't remember it all that clearly when I woke up, but now that you say that, I was definitely dreaming about the same thing!" Akko explained with her usual giddy energy, "How weird is that?"

It was Diana's turn to gawk now as Akko simply resumed munching on her platter of potatoes.

"Y-Yes... quite weird..." she mumbled, stunned, turning her attention to nibbling on her own breakfast while her roommates starred at the two from across the tables.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Akko seemed to pick up on Diana's flustered state, turning her attention to her curiously, "Is something wrong Diana?"

Diana at first attempted to look away from her friend's gaze as she responded, "No-nothing, I-I assure you I'm qu-quite..." her voice slowed and she inhaled slowly through her nose, letting out a calming breath, annoyed by her own embarrassment causing her to trip over her words so. When she turned back to face Akko, the heiress looked much more like her usual composed self, "Simply surprised. Quite the coincidence, was it not?"

Akko's deep red eyes regarded the blonde warily for a moment before a smile broke out across her face, "Yeah, definitely!" she agreed with a firm nod, beaming at her, "It was a really cozy dream, wasn't it?"

"Cozy?"

"Yeah, like... warm."

Diana blinked, taken aback momentarily by Akko's wording, though by now she'd had enough of being tongue-tied, "Yes... yes, I agree. It was very... warm," she replied with a serene smile on her face, gazing back at her friend's beaming expression.

Neither of them seemed to be conscious of each other reaching a hand out, fingers finding and intertwining with each other at the corner of the table they shared. Diana's roommates were seemingly forgotten, gawking at the downright tender moment from the other side of the table. Nothing lasts forever though.

"Do you two need a room or somethin'?"

The four looked up to see the remaining five of their group standing there, waiting to join them. Sucy and Constanze looked as inscrutable as ever; briefly sparing a glance at Akko and Diana before moving to take their seats, Jasminka humming cheerily, smiling at the two as she followed her after her diminutive roommate. Amanda remained standing a moment longer, having been the one to speak, looking distinctly amused. Lotte stood just behind her, absolutely beaming as she shifted from side to side, looking as though she was barely containing herself from jumping up and down.

Akko and Diana, at last, took note of their joined hands when Amanda gave a little gesture with her head, quickly separating as the redhead chuckled and took her seat. Both were flush with embarrassment, Akko considerably more-so, hunching over with both her hands squeezed in her lap. Diana managed to remain more poised, sitting up perhaps a bit too straight as she resumed eating. As the initial moment passed though, they both relaxed, finding themselves somewhat confused by their behavior; not entirely sure why they'd felt so flustered.

"Good morning Amanda," Diana greeted after a moment of silence, attempting to prevent the attention from lingering on them.

"Yeah yeah, mornin' to you too Diana," Amanda replied with a laugh, smirking as she eyed the two. Diana's efforts would evidently be in vain as the next words out of her mouth were, "So what's with you two?"

"I'm certain I don't know what you're ref-"

"We were talking about how we had the same dream," Akko blurted out before Diana could attempt another deflection, the blonde's mouth remaining open, frozen mid-sentence. Though she'd apparently missed the potential implications earlier, they seemed to click for the brunette now as both her hands shot up to cover her mouth, only partially covering her burning red cheeks too.

Lotte let out a high-pitched squeal, immediately beginning a hushed conversation with Barbara, whom she'd sat down beside. Hannah, seated on Barbara's other side opposite Lotte, could only scowl. She wanted to join their chatter, but found herself helpless to add anything in the face of nonsensical comparisons to a nonsensical book the two shared a love for.

Amanda meanwhile just let out a little "ooooooh?" as she smirked at the two, "Was it a _good_ dream?" Diana didn't particularly care for the emphasis the American put on "Good".

"I don't see how that's of any conc-"

"So Amanda! Still up for helping me with my flying practice today?!" Akko interjected again, and Diana was thankful it was with her own deflection rather than another proverbial log on the fire. Still the constant interruptions were beginning to grate on her; anyone other than Akko and she'd have snapped back by now. And why was she making that distinction?

The redhead's bright green eyes flicked between the two several times, a grimace tugging at her lips as she internally fought between continuing her teasing or letting it go. Finally she let out a sigh, reaching up a hand to ruffle her fiery mess of hair, "Yeah, 'course Akko. Pretty soon I'll have ya doin' flips, corkscrews, cutbacks; you'll be a pro in no time!"

Akko beamed in delight at Amanda's confidence, letting out one of her signature "Yay!"s, throwing a fist up into the air at the thought of twirling around on a broom as stylishly as the ace flier. Diana meanwhile frowned deeply, feigning a cough to draw their attention back to her.

"I'd remind you that Akko is still a beginner. I think it would be best to leave your particular brand of... maneuvers for another day," she decided to leave "or never" out of her advisory. Akko seemed so delighted at the prospect; she couldn't find it in her to completely express her disapproval.

Even just seeing Akko's prior delight deflate some; shoulders slumping and her smile shrink to a more restrained expression as she nodded in agreement with Diana's assessment, made her regret her words. But that was her burden to bear, even if some did call her a "Killjoy" and other such taunts, she knew it best to level expectations and ensure her friend's safety.

"Oh lay off Cavendish," Amanda was less cautious and seemed outright offended by the very concept, "Akko's been improving by leaps and bounds. Y'can't keep babyin' her or she'll never see _real_ improvement! Sometimes you've gotta run 'fore ya can walk."

"A sentiment that might be more agreeable if 'running' in this sense didn't involve the risk of high-speed aerial crashes or falls from fatal heights," Diana shot back against Amanda's reckless point of view.

"Yeah, but you're always there to catch me," Akko threw in before Amanda could offer another point in her favor.

Diana's attention was immediately drawn away from the brash veteran flier to the excitable beginner beside her, "A-Akko! Really now, you shouldn't risk your safety just because you believe I'll be able to rescue you!" she admonished her, though a dusting of pink was again beginning to warm her pale cheeks again.

"It's not _just_ a belief! I trust you, Diana," Akko clarified, "And really you have caught me like, every time I've nearly fallen from too high since I started!"

"That's..."

"And even before that!" Akko continued, either not noticing or caring for Diana's attempt to interject, "When I got knocked off the Shooting Star in last year's rally! That thing took me on a cross-country tour before I fell and yet somehow you _still_ managed to catch me!"

Diana felt her face turning an increasingly deep shade of red as Akko recounted the incident, trying again to move the subject along and calm herself, "While I am happy that you have such faith in me, Akko, I must reiterate that it is no reason to throw caution to the wind."

Akko shrank back into her seat again, "Alright I guess that's true..." she agreed, openly pouting now. She actually had to stop herself from admitting that having Diana save her from a potentially nasty fall had almost become part of the fun for her at their group practices. Good thing she hadn't contracted her friend's earlier open honesty.

Amanda sat quietly for a moment, looking back and forth as the two had their exchange, a smirk slowly growing on her face as she watched.

"Aww, done flirting already?" she asked teasingly once Akko had shrunk back, immediately making the two look at her, red-faced as she rested her cheek on her fist.

"You- That's- I-I do not know what it is that you're insinuating O'Neill, but I assure you you're-"

Amanda raised a hand, cutting Diana's defensive stammering off, "Yeah yeah, I get it, just havin' a bit o' fun."

Diana groaned, slowly shifting back, relaxing into her seat with a huff. Amanda brought her raised hand to cup her chin, humming as she eyed Diana thoughtfully.

"Say, Diana..." Amanda began, smirking widely, waiting for Diana to look back up at her from her breakfast before continuing, "how about a little wager?"

The blonde raised one slender eyebrow, eying her fair-weather friend suspiciously, though otherwise left her uninterrupted.

"Let's see which one of us is able to catch Akko first when she falls later."

"Hey!" Diana had barely begun to open her mouth when she was cut off by Akko's own clearly offended outcry, "Don't you mean _if_?!"

Amanda wiped the smirk off her face, looking at the brunette with a totally straight expression.

"Yeah, sure, let's go with that."

Diana simply let out a sigh as Akko fumed, practically seeming to be giving off steam at the redhead's taunts.

"I'll get in on that action."

The three looked up to find Sucy staring back at them from where she sat just across from Amanda, mutually surprised at first.

"Alright! How much you in for?!" Amanda asked excitedly, the grin returning to her face as she pointed at the pale girl.

"Forty pounds," Sucy told her in her typical deadpan, her face barely twitching as she spoke.

"Alright, nice start. I'll match y-"

"On Diana," she added with a toothy grin, sipping her packet of mushroom juice in satisfaction at Amanda's instantly disappearing.

Akko continued to pout, fuming with anger at how her friends were now making _bets_ based on the certainty of her imminent failure. Diana could only let out another sigh, wondering how she'd gone from top of the class to the subject of an underground gambling ring.

After the nine had finished breakfast, Akko successfully convinced them all to immediately head out to the practice field to start her on-going flying lessons for the day. Not that any of them really needed much in the way of convincing. The morning sun shone brightly across the Luna Nova grounds, grass still damp with morning dew as the group trekked out onto the sports field. Other students were few out on the grounds so early, giving the friends all the room they could possibly ask for.

Each of them held their brooms in-hand, turning collectively to Akko to begin. They were there to help her practice, after all, and there was little point in them mounting up if she were unable to get into the air in the first place. Though that hadn't happened in some weeks now; her ability to get into the air had become fairly consistent within a couple days of her first successful levitation. Still, it had become a group habit to have her get into the air first.

Taking a deep breath, she straddled her broom, eyes shut tight in concentration. She willed her magic into it, feeling it become like an extension of herself, focusing on the joy she felt being up in the air.

"Tia... _Freyre_!" she shouted, kicking off the ground, remaining hovering in the air, rising slowly higher above the ground.

Even though she had been flying successfully for weeks now, the sensation of it still thrilled Akko to her core. She couldn't keep the huge, joyous smile off her face if she wanted to, reveling in the way the air just felt _different_ as she floated up off the ground. The rest of her friends followed suit, mounting their brooms and calling the spell, rising into the air alongside her.

Though they called the gatherings "Practice" the reality was that they all got plenty of that in Professor Nelson's classes as it was; Akko no longer the subject of mockery for her inability to do anything other than hop and flail about for the course's duration. Their private group "practices" were more simply an excuse to get together and hang out, Akko insisting upon doing so in the air simply because of how much she loved to fly now that she finally could at her leisure.

However, this didn't change that she had begun to learn at a far later age than most witches and suffered from a particular handicap with regards to flight magic besides. Diana had overcome a similar disability through sheer determination, hard work, and nigh-constant practice; Akko being keen to emulate her and see similar improvement in her flying. So while most of the group hovered around and chatted, sharing in Jasminka's infinite supply of snack foods, Amanda and Diana focused on helping Akko.

Being the two students at the top of Nelson's class, there couldn't be any better private tutors for the late bloomer. This was true of Diana at least; calm blue eyes paying close attention to Akko's every move, offering helpful insight and advice with improving her form. Amanda offered her own advice as well; barking out more abstract criticisms and anecdotes of her own flight experience. When she wasn't just encouraging Akko to pick up speed and do a flip anyway.

The morning hours passed by quickly like that, the sun soon shining down from directly overhead; hunger setting in as lunchtime neared. The nine girls had steadily flown further away from the school and field over the course of the morning, reaching the New Moon Tower by the time they decided to stop for lunch. Landing on a platform two-thirds of the way up the tower, they settled in as Jasminka distributed some sandwiches she'd packed in a picnic basket.

Akko sat with her legs dangling over the edge, gazing out over Luna Nova as she munched on her sandwich. Noticing movement out the corner of her eye, she turned to see Diana sitting down beside her, smoothing out her skirt as she too dangled her legs over the edge.

"Something on your mind?" she asked, turning to look Akko in the eye, flashing her a small smile.

"Hmm? Ah, nah, not really," Akko replied, looking away to again stare across the school grounds, taking another bite out of her sandwich. There was a moment of silence between them before Akko spoke again, "Just wondering if I'm really getting any better."

Diana nodded in understanding, "Of course you are," she spoke reassuringly, "As Amanda said earlier you've been improving by 'leaps and bounds', once you'd gotten started," her voice trailed off, her gaze dropping as another thought occurred to her, "I hope that my cautions aren't discouraging you?"

"What? Oh no, no! Of course not!" Akko replied, hurriedly turning to face Diana again, waving her hands in front of her as Diana raised her gaze back to meet hers, "I know you just want me to be safe," she rubbed the back of her head as she let out a laugh, "if anything it's kinda encouraging."

"Oh?"

"Yeah! Makes me want to get better faster so my rival can stop worrying over me."

Diana shared a giggle with her at the comment, feeling at least somewhat reassured that her worry wasn't being counterproductive. Akko too felt her frustration somewhat alleviated, sharing a laugh with her friend. As the two resumed finishing their sandwiches Diana found her eyes again trailing lower; watching Akko's legs kicking over the edge of the platform, particularly noting the occasional splashes of stark white marring her flesh.

"You really do have a fair number of scars, don't you?" she asked, breaking the silence between them.

Akko blinked, letting out a muffled noise as she scarfed down the last of her lunch, "Oh yeah, loads!" she stated quite happily, shifting to lift one leg up onto the floor, "Like this one I got after rolling down a hill by the river. Or this one from jumping out of one of the taller trees in the park. Or this one when I tried jumping off the downstairs balcony," she reached to tug off her boot, pulling her sock down to expose more scarred flesh, pointing out and relating a particular event for each.

"I'm actually rather amazed you remember how you got each of them," Diana told her with a soft chuckle, having finished her own sandwich as she listened to Akko talk about her scars.

"Well yeah! I'm proud of 'em; every one of them a stepping stone on my way to being a great witch!" she boasted, puffing out her chest, banging a fist against it, "...though I didn't even know the spell for flying, and was just wasting my time all the while," she admitted, deflating and slouching over with a laugh.

Diana let out a light sigh together with her, "Maybe so, but your determination is still something to be admired," she told her with a slight shake of her head, "I'm sure if you had been aware of the spell, you'd have overcome your stunting and been flying long ago."

"You really think so?" Akko asked, beaming brightly at the compliment, "Like you did?"

The blonde nodded, her deep blue eyes seeming particularly bright as she smiled fondly, "Yes, although..." she raised a hand to cover her mouth, bending forward as she let out a louder, longer, less restrained laugh, "I think if I'd built my magic back up by jumping off every decently high spot I could find, I'd have given every member of my home's staff a heart-attack."

Akko grinned, snickering at first before joining in Diana's laughter; picturing the heiress as a small child surrounded by the fretting staff of Cavendish manor after having leaped from a tree.

"What're you two cackling about?" Amanda asked, their laughter having drawn the attention of the rest of the girls seated just behind them.

"The idea of Diana being as dumb as I was as a little kid," Akko explained between her laughs. Amanda threw out a loud "HAH!" in response to the idea too.

As the group happily chatted away their lunchtime, a gust of wind picked up quite suddenly, blowing by the tower. High up as they were, what might have been a fair breeze on the ground felt like a biting chill as it rushed by. Each of them braced themselves against the railings to avoid getting pushed off; Hannah, Barbara, and Lotte pressing themselves against the wall where they'd all propped their brooms up to avoid them getting blown away too.

The sudden wind died down soon enough, leaving little more in its wake than some disheveled hair. The exception being Akko and Diana still seated on the edge of the platform, each clutching their arms, shuddering at the cold. Though the wind had felt quite cold, now that it had passed only the two at the ledge still seemed to feel its chill. Seeking to warm themselves the two shuffled closer together, as if instinctually, until their arms bumped against the other's.

"Geez it's so chilly out..." Akko complained, leaning in slightly against Diana.

"Indeed so," she agreed, nodding as she gave another shiver, though she did feel a good deal warmer with Akko pressed up to her side. "I feared I might freeze before getting in the shower this morning," the heiress joked.

"Oh I know, right?!" Akko cried, agreeing with the sentiment, "Makes me wish we had heated floors; I thought my toes'd fall off when I got out of bed!"

"Luckily enough, my dormitory is carpeted."

"Lucky~..." Akko whined jealously.

As the two bantered about their mutual disdain for the chill that only they seemed to feel concern over, neither seemed to notice themselves slowly shifting closer still into one another. Akko stopped clutching her own arms; slipping them around one of Diana's, hugging herself to the other girl's side, while Diana's tense form slowly relaxed; no longer feeling the chill as she allowed her arms to rest at her sides.

"Ahem. Sorry, did you two need some time alone?"

The faux-cough successively grabbed the two's attention. Looking back, they saw Amanda standing just behind them looking half amused and half annoyed. Neither Constanze; playing a game on her Stanbot or Jasminka; sitting serenely with a bag of potato chips, seemed particularly distracted. Sucy was staring at the two off to one side behind Amanda, though unlike the redhead her expression was as inscrutable as ever. Opposite her, Lotte and Barbara had linked hands, gazing at the two with starry-eyed excitement; Hannah leaned up against Barbara's back, her usual space conjoined with her roommate taken for the moment, but she also had her eyes on the two.

The two blinked, confused for a moment, before it suddenly seemed to hit them just how close they were. Looking down, they noticed that at some point they'd joined hands, fingers interlaced with the other's while their arms were locked. They felt their faces heat up, both letting out a little gasp before separating, sliding back to the reasonable distance they'd sat beside each other before.

Akko's hands gripped at the hem of her short skirt as she stared out straight ahead, while Diana shifted about in place for a moment. Finally she let out a deep sigh, moving to stand up, drawing Akko's attention away from her pointless sightseeing. As the initial surprise wore off, like at breakfast earlier, the two found themselves pondering over why exactly they'd gotten so embarrassed. They'd simply felt cold and subsequently warmed by each other. What was wrong with that?

"Seeing as we all seem to have finished eating, perhaps we should resume and make our way back to the school?" Diana suggested. It was a practical one to be sure, but everyone there knew she more just wanted to shift attention away from the focus now being paid to her and Akko.

Regardless, the others agreed, gathering up what supplies they'd spread out before retrieving their brooms.

As they each straddled their brooms and took to the air again, Diana lingered on the platform for a moment, gazing down at her hand. She slowly brushed her thumb over her palm, shivering as she vividly recalled the sensation of Akko's hand in her own. Mere moments ago, earlier at breakfast, and earlier still in her dreams. Her thoughts lingered on how warm the feeling felt, how comforting. She looked up to her friends already in the air, catching Akko looking back down at her. The cheerful brunette raised her arm, waving and calling on her to hurry up and join the rest of them.

Diana smiled up at her, shifting to mount up her broom, rising up after her friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna try and have the 2nd part finished and posted in the next couple days (Edit: Yeah, that worked out). Thanks for reading, and please leave your thoughts ^^  
> Happy Diakko Week! Love these two so much.


	2. Flying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it's 3 chapters now. Also did a fair bit of re-writing to chapter 1, so if you'd like to re-read it... anyway, enjoy chapter 2.  
> Updated as of June 18, 2018.

Once Diana had joined the others in the air, the group began to make their way back towards Luna Nova's main grounds, resuming their earlier activities as they flew. Sucy was bouncing ideas for new concoctions off of Constanze, the near-mute girl's brief grunts and hums somehow communicating counters and suggestions to the potions expert. Or she was just talking to herself and the smaller girl attempting to communicate the fruitlessness of speaking to her; it was hard to say for sure.

Hannah flew alongside Jasminka, complimenting her on the sandwiches she'd provided for lunch; asking after the recipe, ingredients used, or any other tips she might be able to offer. Ever since she'd learned Diana had taken up some cooking lessons, she'd found herself growing more interested in the culinary arts too. Her stout companion replied with her signature brevity, or just offered the curious brunette a snack from her infinite supply. Rather like her pint-sized roommate, it was rather difficult to discern if she was being charitable or dismissive.

Lotte and Barbara had resumed their earlier excitable discussion from breakfast, speaking to each other animatedly in a language that only they among their friends understood. One would begin to cite a particular scene from the lengthy catalogue of their favorite series, the other finishing the thought with nary a beat missed; occasionally interrupting each other to give a correction on some minor detail. Just about the only part of their conversation any of their friends might be able to catch was the odd familiar name: Diana or Akko specifically.

The two being discussed, along with Amanda, were flying the lowest of their group, at Diana's insistence. Both her and Amanda were continuing to oversee Akko's actual flying practice; while Diana shouted out encouragement though, Amanda was beginning to simmer in frustration.

"Aaaagh! This is so damn boring!" she finally barked out, slumping forward down against the shaft of her broomstick.

Diana looked past Akko to the complaining redhead, wearing her own look of annoyance as she regarded her, "I recall you being the one to volunteer to help me in guiding Akko's practice, O'Neill."

"Yeah, and I want to!" Amanda shouted back, throwing an arm up in the air.

Diana would never admit it, but she was actually impressed that the rebellious American girl was managing to complain while laying across her broom - _on her back_ \- and continuing to fly perfectly straight.

"But Akko's been flyin' fine for _weeks_ now; you keep on like she's a freakin' kindergartner!" Amanda shifted to point accusatorially at the heiress, now lying across her broom on her side. Was she doing that just to show off?

"If you have a problem with how I advise Akko-"

"I do."

Diana quietly fumed at the interruption, narrowing her eyes on the redhead, "If you have a problem with how I've been advising Akko, please, go ahead. I welcome your critique."

"A'right, like I've been sayin'. You've been babying her! She ain't some kid that just got her first broom and managed to float 'cross the playground!" Amanda began, righting her posture as she shouted at her.

Akko remained silent as her two friends and instructors argued, momentarily thinking back to how excited she'd been when Ursula had first presented her with her broom. How giddy she'd felt to have a real witch's broomstick to call her own; she wondered how her mentor had perceived her reaction? Childish, given how young witches apparently were generally when they first got one and learned to fly? She'd actually found her thoughts pondering how Ursula -Chariot rather, her idol Shiny Chariot- had viewed many of their interactions since she'd discovered her identity. Just how much of a fangirl had she come across as, she wondered?

She was pulled from her increasingly tangential thoughts by the realization that her name was being shouted increasingly loudly off to one side.

"E-Eh? Oh! Sorry Amanda, I kinda spaced out there for a minute," she apologized to her scowling friend, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment, "But it's fine, right?" she was sure the argument couldn't have progressed all that far since she'd retreated into her own head, "Diana just wants me to stay safe; take it slow, build my experience, develop the fundamen-"

"I remember you being a lot more impulsive," Amanda groaned out dryly.

Akko blinked, a blush quickly darkening her cheeks for a reason she couldn't quite place, "H-huh? Is... is that so? Aaah..." She looked away from Amanda's piercing, almost disdainful glare. Turning her head, her dark red eyes briefly met the deep blue of Diana's as she watched, waiting for her turn to return to the discussion. That just made the warmth in her cheeks feel all the hotter, and she quickly turned her gaze upward, "W-well, patience was one of the lessons I learned with the Shiny Rod and the Words of Arcturus!"

Amanda let out another groan, not seeming to particularly buy the excuse, "Whatever. I say to Hell with patience! I say if you're stable enough to fly fine while spacin' out like you were before, you're ready for more!"

Without another word, she angled herself back, pulling up on her broom, Akko and Diana both watching as the redhead shot up higher into the air. She blew past the rest of their friends, earning a little shriek from Lotte and Barbara as she flew by right between them, soaring higher than any of the group. The others had to raise their hands to block out the sun as they gazed up at her, watching the downright acrobatic display.

Arching up in the air, Amanda flipped around until her broom was above her. Clutching the shaft tight, she released her legs, dropping to hang by her arms, using the momentum from her ascent to begin swinging around the stick like a high bar. A slight shift of her wrists as she spun pointed her broom back down, sending her plummeting, spinning closer to it all the while until she was hugging her body to her broomstick. She streaked past most of their group again, pulling up only once she was down at Akko and Diana's level again. She dipped down a bit farther than the altitude the two were at, letting go as she bobbed back upward, launching herself up off her broom.

"Ta-da!" she declared, sticking the landing to stand firmly atop her broom, the shaft wedged between the heels of her boots.

Akko had stars in her eyes, clapping excitedly at her friend's impromptu performance as she dropped back down to straddle her broom normally. Diana meanwhile wore an equally disapproving frown.

"That was incredible Amanda!" Akko praised the performance, her friend grinning widely as she basked in the admiration, "You really think I could do that?!"

"Sure!" Amanda's prideful grin shifted to a scowl, her gaze moving past Akko to meet Diana's own glare, "If we actually get you doing some _real_ practice."

"Hmph..." Diana still seemed to carry no small number of misgivings about Amanda's idea of "real" practice, "Are you not just trying to provoke Akko into doing something dangerous to try and win your little bet with Miss Manbavaran?"

"Diana!" Akko exclaimed at the accusation.

"Oh, that's low Cavendish..." Amanda growled, her glare practically seething now, "Just cause I'm not treating her like a little kid doesn't mean I'm trying to set her up to fail!"

"Well, you are the one who said _'when'_ I fail earlier..." Akko grumbled, despite her offense on her friend's behalf a split second prior.

"Oh c'mon!"

"I'm really happy you think I could do stuff like you can someday Amanda," Akko said as she held her broom, clenching her hands around it, "but I trust Diana too, so if she thinks I could use more prep still then..."

Diana fell silent as Amanda continued to try and convince Akko to pick up her pace some; begin practicing more advanced flight maneuvers. She thought back to the talk she'd had with Akko over lunch, how they'd both laughed off the idea of her worrying holding her back. _"You keep on like she's a freakin' kindergartner! You've been babying her!"_ Amanda's words echoed in her mind. The more she thought about them, the truer they seemed to ring.

 _"Just wondering if I'm really getting any better."_ Thinking about her instructions throughout the day, or during their last outing, or the one prior to that, or even before that, Diana realized how utterly nit-picky her advice had become. Develop the fundamentals? What a fundamentally _un-_ Akko thing to say.

She turned her gaze from staring off into nothing, deep blue pools focusing on Akko as she talked with Amanda; not even listening to what they were saying to one another anymore. She instead focused on Akko's mannerisms, her body language and expressions. How much more restrained than normal she seemed at the moment. She compared her current behavior to how animated she was at Amanda's promises of teaching her aerial acrobatics, or seeing a demonstration of such, or even just the joy on her face when she first lifted off. She had no other words to describe how the comparison made her feel besides heart-wrenching.

"It's not like I'm tellin' ya to do a whole sky routine today!" Amanda implored, "You've got a great grasp on flying, I want to see you start on the basics of _flying_!"

Before Akko could say another word, both their attentions were drawn back to Diana when she let out a deep, drawn-out sigh. She then said the last thing either of them expected.

"Amanda is right."

Amanda gaped at the simple comment, her jaw dropping as she stared wide-eyed at the girl who most of the time acted as her opposite. Akko's eyes had gone wide as well, though her mouth remained shut.

"Come again?" Amanda asked, reaching a hand up, her pinky twisting in her ear before moving to cup it, "I don't think I heard you."

Diana grimaced, her eye twitching slightly before she let out another sigh, "I said you're right."

"Oh. Oh please, please say that again," the redhead's pleading was accompanied by a huge grin stretching across her face; the perfect mirror to the frown now worn by the blonde.

"I shall do no such thing. Now, would you wipe that smirk off of your face so we can get on wi-"

"Really?"

Diana's eyes flicked away from Amanda, again coming to focus on Akko, immediately meeting the widened stare of her dark red orbs.

"Really, Akko?" she repeated, confusion evident in her tone.

"You really think Amanda's right? That I'm ready for some harder practice?" she clarified, her tone indicating her own confusion, "You were arguing with her about it just a minute ago, what changed?"

Diana sighed again, softer though, less exasperated, "I simply realized that she was right. That what I was worried about earlier was correct; I've been too cautious with the help I've been trying to provide you."

"Diana I told you, I don't think you've been-"

Diana shook her head as she raised a hand, cutting her friend off, "I know you said you found it encouraging. But regardless, with some consideration, I believe I was correct earlier. I _have_ been holding you back, and that is the last thing I wished to do," she said, smiling warmly at the brunette, "Amanda is right. You're ready for more."

The brilliant, starry glitter in her eyes and accompanying beaming smile that Akko wore at her words made Diana's heart absolutely soar. It made her own small smile brighten in turn; this was how Akko should be, anything to make her seem less confident was absolutely criminal.

"Oh yeah, sure, when _she_ says it..." Amanda grumbled, shoulders slumped as she watched the exchange; neither of the other two girls she flew alongside seemed to hear her muttering.

She perked up a bit when Akko finally tore her eyes away from Diana's, turning her starry-eyed expression on her instead, "Alright Amanda, let's get started!"

It took a moment, but Amanda quickly returned Akko's beaming expression with her own excited grin, "Way past time we got started fer real!"

With the decision made, the three began by rising up higher into the air, settling on an altitude a bit higher than the rest of their group rather than below them. Although Amanda had been insistent on kicking Akko's instruction into gear, she remained a less-than-ideal tutor. After scratching her head for a moment, thinking about how to continue, she settled on talking Diana into a brief demonstration of the two of them at their best; a race within sight of Akko so she could study their movements for a start. Despite her admission moments ago, it still surprised Amanda when the normally critical girl readily agreed to her suggestion.

"Three laps, using the tower as a marker?"

"Right, sounds like a plan," Amanda grinned, shifting to take a slightly more firm hold of her broom. "On your mark, get set... Go!"

Akko didn't think she'd paid such close attention to something since she saw Shiny Chariot live as her two flight tutors took off, racing away from her. They got far enough away that she could still see them both clearly before turning, beginning to circle around her, racing for her to observe. Back when she'd spent her flight classes fruitlessly jumping up and down with her broom between her legs, or being pulled along by her roommates, or blasted out of a cannon, Akko had never had the chance to observe any of the other students in-flight, not really.

Now that she could fly for herself though, and having had the basics of form and function engrained into her by Diana, she was able to see and appreciate just how skilled her two friends were. Diana was always one to practice what she preached; the care and attention to basics she'd reinforced to Akko showing in her own form. The difference being her experience, the way she held to her broom far more streamlined, focused, geared towards as much speed as possible while still being perfectly in control.

Amanda was, as in many ways, practically the opposite. It was difficult to find any hint of basic form in the way she flew, appearing less to cut through the sky and more weave along with the air. If Diana was the peak of skill in how she flew, then Amanda was the perfect example of being an absolute natural at it. Despite appearing to be far more relaxed, she didn't seem to be having any difficulty keeping pace with her opponent as they circled around their student.

Her broom rotating in the air to follow the short exhibition, Akko was practically bouncing as she watched the race excitedly. She was still studying them sure, but she found herself getting caught up in the display as her friends fought to pull ahead of one another.

"Go Diana go!" she suddenly shouted, cupping one hand by her mouth as she thrust the other up above her head.

The impromptu race was a dead heat going into the final half of their third loop around Akko, both participants slowing at the unexpected cheer, looking inward at its source.

"Oh come _on_!" Amanda barked out, scowling, "Y'remember that I'm doing this to help _you_ , right?!" she shouted over at Akko, who quickly dropped her arms, blushing as she ran her fingers through her hair, looking decidedly embarrassed by her outburst.

Diana just stared at her for a moment as Amanda admonished her for the apparent favoritism, unsure of how to react. Part of her wanted to agree with her opponent's indignation; they were after all only racing so that Akko could study and learn from how they performed. But another part of her felt happy, being cheered on like she had. She didn't know why, but in a rare show of impulsiveness, she listened to that part, that feeling, buckling down again, shooting off from where she and Amanda had stalled.

The sudden flash of movement drew Amanda's attention back, mouth agape at being left in the dust, "H-hey! No fair! Get back here!" she yelled after her, quickly following in her wake.

But it was too late, Diana arriving at the point between Akko and the New Moon Tower that they'd set as their finish line before Amanda even had a hope of catching back up to her. Diana felt unusually flush and out of breath for the short distance of the final sprint, panting for air as she came to a stop, slowly coming to process what she'd done. She was immediately left to wonder what had come over her; unable to linger on her thoughts for long as Amanda slowly floated up beside her.

The heiress turned her gaze up, avoiding looking at the significantly cross glare she was being given.

"Just couldn't help showing off huh?" Amanda snapped.

"Says the girl who refuses to ever ride her broom normally," Diana quipped back. Now that was unusual too; usually she'd have just given a simple deflection, but instead she brought up her earlier, unspoken annoyance? What _had_ come over her?

Her surprise with herself was evidently not unique.

"Wow, catty," Amanda replied, leaning away on her broom, taken aback by the response. "Didn't know you had it in you," she told Diana with a laugh, her posture relaxing, her annoyance and anger offset by her amusement.

Before Diana could give a reply, they both turned their attention to Akko floating over to them.

"Eheh, s-sorry about that Amanda..." she was still rubbing the back of her head bashfully as she apologized to the redhead, "I uhh... I don't really know why I shouted like that..."

"Oh, I know exactly why," Amanda grumbled after quietly staring at Akko for a moment.

"Huh?"

Her bright green eyes focused in on her for another brief silence, before the redhead let out a sigh, "Don't worry about it," she told her with a shake of her head, "You got a good look at me and Cavendish flying, right?"

Akko nodded her head resolutely, "Yup! I was watching su~per closely!" she assured them, looking between the two, "You're both amazing!" she declared with a squeal, clenching her fists as she tucked her arms in close to her chest.

Amanda puffed out her chest, grinning happily as she basked in the praise as Akko launched into going over every little detail she'd observed of the two flying against one another, constantly reiterating how incredible she found the two of them. For her part, Diana turned an increasingly bright shade of red with each (rather more detailed than she'd expected) compliment Akko threw her way.

"Akko," she finally raised a hand to cut her friend's excited appraisal off, "you've clearly come a long way if you noticed all that. Do you think you can put what you observed into practice?"

"Mhmm!" she gave another firm nod, blinking and tipping her head as she stared at the blonde, "Hey Diana, are you feeling alright? You look really red; you're not coming down with a fever are you?"

Having attention called to her flush state only made it that much worse, the red tinting beginning to reach up to her ears.

"I-... I assure you I'm fine, Akko," Diana insisted, doing her best to reign in... whatever it was she was feeling, "rather than concern yourself with me, focus on your practice," she instructed, glancing away from her to the colossal white tower behind them, "Fly to the New Moon Tower and back as fast as you can; Amanda and I will time you."

Akko gave another determined nod, shifting to point herself at the tower. She took in a deep, calming breath, adjusting her posture as she internally reviewed the race, trying to find a happy balance between Diana's perfect form and Amanda's natural relaxation. When she was satisfied she let out a loud "Go!" and shot off towards the sky-scraping tower, leaving her two friends to watch her speed through the air appraisingly.

Or at least, Diana did. Within the first few moments of her departure, it became perfectly clear how ridiculous her over-protectiveness had been. Still she kept her eyes on the shrinking shape moving towards the tower, brown hair flowing behind her in the wind; partially because that was the duty she'd taken on, partially because she just wanted to keep watching her. And partially to distract from Amanda lying sideways on her broom, looking up at her with a smug grin rather than off after Akko.

"You've really got it ba~d huh?" she said just after Akko was out of ear-shot.

Diana frowned, keeping her eyes focused on Akko in the distance rather than the unbearable smirk in her periphery, "I'm certain I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you though?" Amanda asked, amusement clear in her tone, "You can't possibly be that oblivious."

"Maybe I am," Diana replied rather calmly despite her clear annoyance. Her eyes remained focused on Akko, watching her circle the tower and begin to return to them, "Maybe it's selective."

It was Amanda's turn to frown now, her teasing not going at all the way she'd hoped for, "And why would that be?" she shifted to sit upright again as she asked, staring more intently at the aloof blonde.

"That," Diana started, raising an arm to wave to Akko when she noticed her doing the same on her approach, "is none of your business."

Akko turned as she neared them, her broom slowing to a halt to float alongside them.

"How'd I do?!" she asked excitedly, chest and shoulders heaving a bit, her breathing somewhat heavy.

"Excellent Akko. You made quick work of that lap, and your form was impeccable."

"What was my time?" she requested with a big, eager grin.

Time, time, time... oh, right, they were supposed to be timing her, weren't they? Diana's eyes flickered in confusion briefly before she turned to Amanda, who simply shrugged dismissively. Letting out a sigh, Diana turned back to Akko, smiling awkwardly.

"It would appear we both... neglected, to time you properly," she admitted.

"Wha~t?!" Akko whined, shoulders slumping, crestfallen, "I'm going again!" she perked right back up, pointing at Diana resolutely, shooting both her and then Amanda an annoyed glare, "Time me properly this time!"

Without another word she turned her broom around, bolting back towards the New Moon Tower. Diana let out another small sigh, upset at herself for getting distracted; beginning to mouth out numbers, timing Akko's flight. She was about halfway back to the tower when Amanda spoke up again.

"What d'ya mean 'selective'?"

"I told you none of your business," Diana replied, careful to keep track of the count as she did.

Amanda was silent for another moment before speaking up again, "Like you don't wanna think about it?"

"Maybe."

"Why not?"

Diana groaned, her eye twitching slightly, growing rather weary of this line of questioning.

"Perhaps I have better things to think about," the line tasted a lie on her tongue even as she said them.

"Bullshit," Amanda evidently agreed with that sentiment.

Diana let out another grumble. She could hardly blame Amanda for calling her out on it, but that didn't change the fact that she simply had no desire to speak to her of all people about this.

"What d'ya mean 'me of all people'?!" Amanda snapped, offended.

Goodness, had that been out loud? Perhaps keeping track of Akko's time was scrambling her attention slightly. Well, since she'd already said that much, "I think you'd be more interested in using whatever I have to say as fuel for your taunting than helping me work through my thoughts."

"That hurts."

"Am I wrong?"

"Nope," Amanda said with a shrug and a laugh, apparently satisfied for the moment.

Diana let out a grateful sigh, Akko flying back up to them moments later, panting a bit haggardly for breath again.

"Alright, how'd I do?!" she asked, wiping a bit of sweat from her brow with her sleeve.

"About thirty-two seconds," Diana told her with a smile, "very impressive."

"Awesome!" Akko cheered, throwing her hands up into the air. She blinked, lowering her arms back to her broom's shaft, "Hey where'd Amanda go?"

Diana blinked as well, glancing at her side, not even having noticed her fellow instructor disappear. Looking around, she soon spotted a flash of familiar red hair, frowning at the sight of the fiery mop reappearing around the corner of the tower, soon rejoining them.

"Twelve seconds," she told them smugly, her smirk matching her tone perfectly.

"Show off," Akko accused with a huff and a pout.

"Just showin' ya you've got a long way to go," she replied in a playful sing-song.

"Honestly Amanda, aren't you supposed to be helping me teach her?" Diana admonished with a shake of her head.

"I lead and inspire by example," she defended proudly.

"I'm gonna try another lap," Akko told them, turning to try and improve her time.

"See? It's working!" Amanda boasted, still grinning.

"You better watch me!" she demanded, looking back while pointing solidly at Diana.

The blonde felt her cheeks flare again as her body stiffened up at the bold declaration; her eyes widening but never leaving her tutee. Akko apparently didn't notice the flustered state her words induced, quickly turning back to focus on her flying. Diana was again left with that same curious feeling of uncertainty; why should she be so flustered being told by Akko to watch her? That's what she was here to do. Watch her, appraise her, guide her, help her improve.

The words echoed in her mind, triggering a recollection of a similar demand spoken nearly a year ago. The eve of the Samhain Festival, right before Akko, Lotte and Sucy took to the stage for the closing act. She certainly hadn't felt any such confusion at the words then; she was supposed to be watching then too, after an earlier altercation in which she'd called her friend-to-be's motivations and drive into question. Her criticisms struck home then and so it was only natural she should watch what her words wrought unfold.

Back then just those words may not have caused her to feel much, if anything, but the show that followed... She could yet vividly recall the troublemaking trio throwing the traditional sacrifice that was to close out the festival to the wind; their "Sacrifice Show" that substituted the previously normal humiliation had been nothing short of dazzling. Diana had been honored that night with the title of "Moonlit Witch". It was the second time since the school year had begun that Akko had made her feel ashamed and inadequate; tradition be damned, her show should have won her the title.

Or maybe it was the third time? Fourth, perhaps? No, second, after the incident with the Papiliodia. Her victory in the broom relay felt a bit of a fluke; Akko would've won if she hadn't fallen off of the Shooting Star at the last moment, but it was hard to feel too disappointed in her victory given how odd her entire performance that day had been. And then there had been the Hanbridge's Ball; made to act like a love-struck fool by an accursed bee. Yet, thinking back on it, she felt far more shame at the second sting reducing her to fawning over her own reflection than the first that made her pine after Akko. Actually, she wasn't sure she'd call what the memory of declaring her love for her friend made her feel "shame" at all...

Her blue eyes fluttered, summoned back to the present from her thoughts by a hand waving in front of her face. She looked down to her side, finding Amanda again lying across her broom, smug grin still plastered across her face as she looked up at her.

"Oh yeah, you've got it re~al bad."

Diana let out an annoyed little groan, red still tinting her cheeks as she quickly returned her gaze to Akko's silhouette circling the New Moon Tower, fighting not to let Amanda's teasing get to her anymore.

Looping back and forth between her friends and the tower, Akko found herself getting just as lost in her thoughts as Diana was; her words triggering her own similar recollection of the night of the Festival. She'd tried her best to put on the most spectacular show she could that night, but thinking back on it, realized how confused her motives for doing so felt. As the festival had neared, all she'd cared about was winning the title of Moonlit Witch, like Chariot had when she was her age. She'd been devastated when her awful luck had earned her the "Sacrifice" duty, the humiliating finale killing her hopes from the beginning. She hadn't wanted anything to do with it at all.

And that's when she'd stumbled across Diana inspecting the magic mirrors, winding up transformed into the spitting image of her Rival. That was probably the beginning of her genuine admiration for the heiress; previously just the hoity-toity top-of-the-class she wished to surpass. A stepping stone to following in Shiny Chariot's footsteps! Walking a mile -or really just an hour or two- in her shoes had shown her how wrong that impression really was though. How much people depended on Diana and how there was never even an inkling of her letting them down.

Of course Akko, perhaps quite predictably, did. She clutched her broom a bit tighter, speeding along on her loop as she remembered how enflamed she'd been at Diana finding her out, fixing what she couldn't, and then proceeded to lay into her about her apparent lack of drive, interest or respect for the things she considered important. Looking back, she had been right, but all she'd wanted to do then was prove her wrong. She worked as hard as she ever had to turn the stupid Sacrifice into something to be proud of. She'd forgotten all about the Moonlit Witch, she just wanted to prove herself to Diana. By the end of the night, even that had been forgotten. She'd had so much fun with her show, she didn't even mind that her Rival had won. In hindsight, she actually regretted showing up late, missing the Summoning that had earned her the coveted title.

Yet now, here she was, demanding Diana watch her again. Her legs were beginning to feel sore, clenched up underneath her broomstick as she flew around and around the tower. She wanted to get better, sure, but she was _flying_! For so long the ability to do so had eluded her; finally being able to do so was pure joy. So what was she trying to prove? Shouldn't she just be enjoying it? Now that she thought about it, was it even about proving herself now? Her friends were supposed to be keeping a watch on her, tracking her progress, helping her to improve, so of course she'd want them to watch, right? So why hadn't she said anything to Amanda?

The redhead had kept saying that Diana had been babying her, keeping her practices from progressing; Diana even agreed with her about it today! The very idea of being treated as inadequate or inferior to others peeved Akko to her core. There was a reason that in a year of stumbling through her classes, she'd never once complained of the coursework going over her head! A severe error in judgement perhaps, but she was not going to let herself be treated like a little kid who had to be walked through everything! Yet the frankly undeniable accusations of Diana treating her in exactly that manner recently had gone unabated; encouraged and defended even!

She didn't mind when she treated her the way she hated to be treated most. She wanted her to be watching her above all others. She wanted to impress her. She...

_"I... love you," Diana spoke bashfully, a light dusting of pink to her cheeks, crystal blue eyes rising to focus on her just briefly; perfectly complimented by a stunning dress and shimmering jewellery of the same colour that only served to magnify her beauty._

Akko's hands flew up to smack her cheeks, abruptly snapping herself out of her thoughts and memories, her flight slowing as she began a return trip from the tower to Diana and Amanda. Where had thinking about _that_ night suddenly come from? No reason for her to be thinking about that. Nope. None. Not at all.

Letting out a sigh, she looked ahead to her friends as she drew closer to them. Amanda was laid out on her broom, relaxing, looking up at the clouds, but Diana was still staring out towards the tower - towards her, as she'd desired. Probably. Maybe.

She shut her eyes, sucking in a long, deep breath. Akko allowed her tense legs to relax, spreading her arms out to either side, feeling the wind flowing around her. Immediately she felt more at peace, her jumbled thoughts giving way to simply enjoying the sensation of being high up in the air. Her troubled, bunched up expression melted away to a simple smile. Flying like this was so blissfully relaxing.

Perfect moment for that harsh wind to pick up again.

As another strong gust blew by the group, they each immediately braced themselves; one hand keeping their hats from flying off, the other gripping their brooms along with their legs as they were jostled about by the fierce winds.

All of them, except for Akko. Relaxed as she had been, and lacking Amanda's experienced reflexes, she was unable to brace herself quick enough, the sudden gust carrying her off like a feather on the breeze. Her screams easily reached over the howling wind, drawing the attention of her friends to the girl flailing her arms as she was carried away through the air.

"Akko!"

There was a terrible worry in Diana's voice as she cried out after her, quickly turning her broom to ride the same strong current Akko was swept up in. She scarcely noticed Amanda moving to follow after her too, gritting her teeth as she focused completely on closing the distance to Akko. She was still screaming and flailing her arms, wind throwing her broom about wildly; the sight more like a bull trying to buck its rider off than anything. Diana was just thankful that despite not seeming to be able to will her arms to grab and steady her broom, Akko's legs remained firmly clenched around it.

As if by some universal queue, Akko's sore legs forced themselves to ease up for just a moment as the wind tossed her up. Her scream intensified as the absolute worst combination finally wrenched her broom out from under her, sending her hurtling down through the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, apologies for taking so long on this. Despite wanting to finish this up the week after I posted chapter 1, I spent the next TWO doing nothing but re-reading and editing what I'd already written (thus the rewrites to chapter 1 mentioned at the top).
> 
> But anyway! Decided to post a second chapter and create a third for two reasons. First, to avoid "Chapter" 2 from being twice as long as the first. Second, because cliffhangers are fun. They're fun to read, fun to leave people on. So why not? Luckily I've already got way more written so the final chapter shouldn't be nearly as far off as this posting was compared to chapter 1. Also I changed the rating to T because Amanda swears a bunch. Is that appropriate? I dunno, seemed appropriate.
> 
> Hopefully people enjoyed this second installment (Which wound up being way, way more "Let's teach Akko to fly!" than I ever intended) and I certainly welcome any and all comments.


	3. Mending

"AKKO!" Diana screamed out, terrified as she sent herself into a nosedive after her, fighting the resistance of the wind in terminal pursuit of her falling friend.

Every conscious sensation faded away as the two plummeted through the air, every ounce of her attention focused on the freefalling body below her. Diana lost track of Amanda entirely as she fell further behind her as she picked up speed, nor did she realize when the wind had calmed; building even more speed as the resistance it offered eased away. The only thing that mattered was reaching her in time; before either of them reached the green, forested ground rapidly growing closer by the second.

At first, all she could perceive was the howling of the air rushing by as she plummeted. Akko couldn't even hear her own screaming clearly over it; somehow though, she heard hers. She looked up into the expanse of blue above her in confusion, finally honing in on a dark little dot growing larger in her vision; a familiar bundle of greenish-white fluttering against it in the wind. She flailed her limbs, desperately reaching out towards the approaching speck.

Diana stretched out her arm, straining to reach as far as she could to meet Akko's own outstretched arms; still flailing in a desperate, futile attempt to inch herself upward in the air, closer to her saviour. Finally, their arms crossed, hands both grasping painfully at the other's arm. Every inch of Diana's body tensed, her arm especially screaming out in pain as she strained to pull up from the nosedive, the force of the change in velocity assailing her body brutally.

She managed to even out her path just above the tree line, but could still feel herself being pulled downward by the weight hanging off her arm.

"Hang on!"

Trying to maneuver through the least densely packed spaces of the forest, she winced as small branches shattered against her as she rushed by, still trying to slow herself and lower the two of them to the ground safely. She could hear Akko grunting as she was similarly buffeted by the foliage, legs flailing back and forth, running on air as they neared the forest floor.

Finally, her feet made contact, sending a jolt up through to Diana as she ran along below her. Slowly, she released her hold on her rescuer's arm, feeling her do the same. Able to focus entirely on the task of slowing her momentum, Diana let out a heavy sigh of relief as her broom finally came to a halt. And then watched Akko run right by her, unable to do the same with her legs. She watched the brunette disappear; running through some bushes, wincing as she soon heard a painful crash and a matching shriek.

"A-Akko!" she called once more, dismounting her broom after floating towards the bushes she'd seen her disappear into.

Pushing her way through the greenery, she quickly spotted Akko lying on the ground at the foot of a tree. One hand was up rubbing her forehead, her other arm limp at her side, and one of her legs was bent to the side at an uncomfortable looking angle.

"Akko!" Diana cried her friend's name worriedly again, rushing to kneel at her side, setting her broom down before moving to cradle her prone form, "Are you okay?!"

"H-Hey Diana, thanks for the save..." she grumbled out her response with a weak chuckle, moving her hand from her forehead to clutch her opposing arm, revealing an angry red mark, "I... think I'm okay?" she answered more properly, shifting slightly in Diana's arms, letting out a pained whine from even that slight motion, "or maybe not."

Diana allowed herself a grateful, relieved sigh. Sure she might be injured, but she was alive at least. And given Akko's general propensity for injuring herself, at least this was nothing new. Drawing out her wand, she cast a spell to soothe her pain, the accident-prone girl letting out her own sigh of relief as the green light washed over her.

"Akko!" Diana looked over her shoulder at the chorus of cries -that were not her own this time- seeing the rest of their group landing and running over to the two of them.

"Shit, are you alright?!" Amanda asked worriedly, leaning over Diana after rushing over, scoping out the extent of her injuries.

Akko just gave a weak grin in response, while Diana moved to put one of her arms around her shoulders, "She's sustained at least a few injuries. Help me get her up so we can take her to the nurse's office."

Amanda nodded, kneeling down to put Akko's other arm around her own shoulders, eliciting a few more pained groans.

Akko looked out at the worried expressions of the rest of her friends. Well, except Sucy. She didn't look particularly concerned. But then she never did. Disregarding that, the cheerful girl put on her best smile to try and reassure them.

"H-Hey guys... did anybody see what happened to my bro-" she winced, letting out a long groan of pain as the metallic tip of her broomstick smacked the top of her head, falling to the ground in front of her, "Nevermind..."

"I uh... I managed to pick up your hat too, along the way," Lotte told her, speaking softly as she bent down to pick Akko's broom up in the same hand that already clutched said hat.

"Thanks, Lotte," Akko replied, lifting her head, still managing to wear her a weak grin, "Andrew keeps telling me I'm horrible about losing it."

The bit of levity was welcome; a strained chuckle passing through the group as they began to move out of the forest, Barbara shooting Hannah a cross glare as she fought the urge to laugh the moment Akko's broom impacted her head. Most of the group hung back behind their wounded friend, except for Constanze and Jasminka who walked ahead of the others; pushing bushes and tree branches out of their path, and Sucy. She walked along beside Amanda, occasionally glancing over as both she and Diana monitored Akko's condition.

"...you owe me forty pounds," she suddenly spoke up as they broke through the edge of the forest, the school now in sight.

"Haaaaaah?!" Amanda turned to the pale girl, slack-jawed, "What're you on about?!" she asked incredulously.

"Sucy!" Lotte scolded, a disapproving frown on her face.

The rest of the group looked at her roommate, matching Amanda's disbelieving expression. Only Akko didn't seem terribly surprised, simply rolling her eyes. Whether because she was just used to her friend's behaviour, or was too sore to express otherwise, was tough to tell.

"Diana got to her first. I win the bet," she stated simply, nonplused by everyone's reactions.

"Is now really the time f-"

"Now is not the time for this!"

What Amanda had begun to say plainly was cut off in favour of Diana snapping harshly at the "winner".

"Akko comes first. You two can settle your idiotic bet after she has been seen to!"

Everyone's surprised expressions were on Diana now, not even remotely used to seeing her so worked up. Amanda just nodded numbly, continuing to help carry Akko into the school. Sucy's own expression had still barely budged, eyes regarding Diana silently as she followed after with the others.

* * *

 

Unfortunately, once they'd made their way up to the infirmary, they found a sign reading "Out to Lunch" and the door locked.

"Seriously?! What kind of infirmary goes out for lunch?!" Amanda scoffed in disbelief at the sign hanging from the door, reaching out futilely to try and pull the door open.

"It is the weekend. Not like there are any classes for Akko to screw up in and get someone hurt," Sucy observed.

"Well, you're not wrong," Akko grumbled; more out of annoyance at the implication that she was the only reason anyone ever got hurt than pain from her actual injuries. Groaning from the effort, she glanced over her shoulder at a bench nestled under a window behind them, "C'mon, you can just set me down there while we wait for her to come back."

Amanda nodded, turning to move Akko over to the waiting seat. She wasn't able to get far though, Diana remaining stationary, Akko still bridged between them.

"No," she stated firmly, having apparently come to some decision after being silent since they'd arrived at the closed office, "It's already well past lunch; we have no way of knowing when the nurse will return."

"You got a better idea?" Amanda asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Yes. I keep an emergency first aid kit in my bedroom; we'll take Akko up there and I'll treat her myself."

"Diana you don't have to do that," Akko told her, rather weakly, "I'll be fine waiting until the nurse gets back."

"No buts, Akko," Diana put her foot down, "You should be looked at as soon as possible. Come along."

Not waiting for any further complaints, Diana began down the hall again, Akko carried along helplessly as Amanda moved to follow her. The rest of their group simply shrugged, following along after them up to Diana, Hannah and Barbara's room.

Crowding into the significantly larger-than-average dormitory, Diana had Amanda help her take Akko around the dividing bookshelf, sitting her down on the edge of her bed. Kneeling at the drawers lining the bottom of the shelf, she produced a typical white box of medical supplies stamped with a red cross. Setting it on the bed beside Akko, she opened and began digging through the neatly organized kit, pulling out what she felt she may require.

"Strip," she suddenly commanded, not even looking up from the first aid kit.

"Come again?" Akko squeaked out.

"I said stri-" Diana raised her head, pausing, confused as she saw Akko staring at her, wide-eyed and beet-red.

Feeling more stares, she turned her head, settling on Amanda standing by her bed, an expression somewhere between disbelief and approval mixed with her usual smirk. Looking past the redhead, Diana saw the other six of their group crowded into the narrow space between the bookshelf and windows, forming a totem as they peeked around the corner into her private space.

It took a moment, but the implications of what she'd said finally seemed to click, the heiress' cheeks burning brightly as she staggered back from the stares, "N-no!" she gasped at them defensively, "I need to ascertain the nature and severity of her injuries! I can't do so _through_ her clothes!" she insisted.

Amanda's grin grew a bit wider as she chuckled, "Sure, sure, of course!" she scoffed, reaching out a hand to pat Diana's shoulder, who could only let out a distressed whimper. Removing her hand, Amanda walked to the others, waving for them to follow her, "C'mon, we should give 'em some privacy," her cooing tone did nothing to lessen Diana's embarrassment nor annoyance.

Returning her focus to grabbing supplies out of her kit with a weary groan, Diana stopped again when she heard Sucy's familiar monotone, "You still owe me forty pounds."

"Geez, would you lay off? You'll get your money, you'll get it," Amanda tried to placate the pale skinned girl. She paused, blinking as she noticed Diana walking up to them, flinching back when she saw the absolutely scathing glare directed at Sucy.

"I cannot believe you!" she snapped, "I thought Akko was your friend? She could have died! Yet you just keep asking after your reward for that asinine bet! Do you actually care at all?!"

Everyone watching the confrontation was struck silent again by Diana's significantly out-of-character outrage. No one dared to look away or excuse themselves though, eyes darting between their two friends, waiting.

"Diana-" Akko started to speak up, stopping when she saw Sucy raise a hand, gesturing for her to stop.

The long, pink-haired girl didn't look perturbed at all by Diana's anger. Her expression was as stoic as ever; her single visible eye simply staring back unconcerned into Diana's icy glare.

"Akko's fine," she stated blandly, looking almost bored now, "she's been through worse. Probably will be still. No point in getting all worked up over an almost everyday occurrence," she explained, raising her arms in a dismissive shrug.

Her nonchalance did little to calm Diana's fury, "How can you say that?! How can you be so disinterested in your own friend's safety?!"

"Because she's not the only one who trusts you to keep her safe."

That managed to though; the piercing chill fading from her glare, replaced by a bit of a blush creeping back onto her cheeks. Sucy's expression shifted at last; her lips upturning slightly in a small, amused grin.

She stared Diana down a moment longer and, when no further response seemed forthcoming, shut her eye, turning to depart, "Come on, Amanda's right. We should give them some privacy."

The rest of the group shifted as one, watching the slender figure turn the corner, gliding towards the door.

"I'll umm... I'll just leave your hat and broom by the couch, okay Akko?" Lotte told her injured roommate, holding up the articles in question as she looked back to her.

"Mmm, thanks again Lotte," Akko replied, managing a smile.

Lotte nodded, disappearing around the bookshelf after their roommate.

"I suppose we'll just... leave you to it then?" Barbara spoke rather awkwardly, trailing after her reading buddy.

"We'll uh... we'll catch you later, 'kay Diana?" Hannah spared a wave, not far behind.

Constanze and Jasminka lingered a moment longer, the tiny mechanic going up to give her injured friend a restrained hug. Pulling away, she raised her hand and gave a thumbs-up, encouraging her to get better quick in her silent manner.

"I'll leave some snacks for you," Jasminka told her in her usual kindly tone.

"Ah! Thank you! Oh oh, do you have any 梅干?!" Akko asked excitedly.

"No," and was quickly shot down by the snack hoarder's usual brief response.

Amanda chuckled as Akko let out a little whine, shoulders sagging in disappointment. She winced when, as she'd done to Diana moments ago, the redhead reached out to pat one, "See ya at dinner, alright?" she gave a wave, walking out after her own roommates.

As the last of their friends disappeared from sight around the corner of her bookcase, Diana realized how tense she'd grown, shuddering as she willed herself to relax. For naught it would seem, as she tensed right back up when Amanda leaned back into view, grinning at her deviously.

"And try not to have too much fun!" she jeered before quickly darting out of sight.

Diana felt herself blushing furiously, refusing to even begin to relax until she'd heard the sound of her dorm's door clicking shut behind the last of the group.

Akko watched her friend, rescuer, and now medic suck in a long, deep breath, sighing as she exhaled. She then resumed pulling out the last of the supplies she needed from the first aid kit, eyes flicking up to meet Akko's as she finished setting aside what she might need.

"...I was being serious, I do need you to strip," she said, a bit more bashfully than her previous, clinical tone; a bit of pink yet warmed her cheeks.

"A-Alright," Akko mumbled, trying to fight down her own blush, recognizing the necessity, "Umm... do I need to be like... naked?"

Diana's blush deepened just a hint as she shook her head, "No, you can leave your underwear on. Your skirt too... it hardly manages to cover anything as-is."

Akko laughed softly at the comment, "It's cute," she said in defense of her fashion choice.

Diana was silent for a moment, before quietly muttering "Agreed" under her breath, turning herself away from Akko as she began to tug off her belt and tunic.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing after she'd pulled the outermost layer of her outfit off over her head.

"I'm simply trying to give you some slight privacy as you undress." And hide the ever brighter blush colouring her cheeks.

Akko just let out another laugh, "You're gonna have to look to examine me, aren't you?" she pointed out.

"...be that as it may," her tone carried a finality to it, and so Akko simply shrugged off the oddly illogical behaviour and resumed undressing.

She peeled off the layers of her uniform, not having enough energy to do much more than discard the garments beside her on Diana's bed. All the while Diana remained facing away, attempting to distract herself with thoughts of absolutely anything besides what was going on directly behind her. Her attention was eventually drawn back however by a pained whine.

"Is everything alri-" she began to ask, cutting herself off when she turned to see her friend, sitting on _her_ bed, with nothing but a plain white bra on above the waist; little else below for that matter.

"Ah, y-yeah, just..." Akko was leaning forward, flinching as she was attempting to pull off one of her boots; the other already successfully removed, leaving one of her legs bare, "really hurts for some reason..."

Pushing down the wellspring of feelings making her so flustered, Diana managed to tear her eyes away from running across the exposed skin; taking mental note of every patchwork scar she noticed. Forcing her focus on the task at hand, she walked over to kneel down in front of her impromptu-patient, "Here, let me help."

Swallowing hard as she watched Diana crouch down in front of her, Akko was thankful that she seemed too focused on removing her boot and couldn't see how fiercely she was sure she was blushing. She looked down, eyes wide and unblinking as Diana gingerly lifted her leg; one hand cupping her thigh as the other gripped the heel of her boot. She wasn't sure if it was simply due to how gentle she was being, or that she was distracted by the sensation of her touching her leg, but she didn't feel any further pain as Diana slowly pulled the boot off. Setting it to the side with its opposite match, both her hands went to grasp Akko's sock; pulling it away from her skin before slipping it off her foot. She did wince this time as Diana's hand just barely brushed against an angry red swelling around her ankle; exposed by the removal of her boot and sock.

"That would explain your difficulties," Diana stated the obvious fact humorlessly.

Wrapping one hand around the back of her ankle carefully, she lifted Akko's leg up again, her other hand just barely rubbing at the swollen spot. Her eyes flicked up, gauging Akko's reactions to her touch. She found herself greeted by more wide-eyed blushing than pained winces, quickly directing her attention back to the task of examining the injury; fearing she might otherwise become too fixated on gazing back up into her wide red eyes. Waving her wand over the swollen ankle -alleviating what little pain Akko's distracted mind still processed- she then applied a gel pulled from the first aid kit. Diana felt the skin under her fingers crawling, Akko shivering at the cooling sensation at the cooling sensation, before she went about binding the injury.

"Not too tight?" she asked, looking up at Akko's face again once she'd finished.

Akko's expression had calmed to a more normal colouration when their eyes met again, Diana noticing her shifting her ankle slightly in the bottom of her vision.

"Mmm... nope! I think it's fine?" Akko answered, shaking her head after taking a moment to gauge the feeling of the bandages wrapping around her foot.

Nodding, Diana resumed appraising her friend's injuries, trying not to think too hard about how intimate the task of running her hands up and around Akko's wonderfully toned legs really was. She squeezed here and there, checking for reactions or any odd feelings. That is the sensation of tense muscles and other stresses; absolutely nothing to do with the swelling heat in her own chest as she felt them under her fingertips. Whenever she did find such an oddity, she was quick to apply a bit of magic, cream and a bandage to the afflicted spot. She likewise sterilized and bandaged any cuts, a few of which were concentrated around her thighs.

While Diana was somewhat able to somewhat distract herself with the actual task she'd set herself to, Akko was not. No, her full attention was entirely focused on the delightful sensation of Diana's slender hands petting, squeezing, _caressing_ her bare legs. Frequently what passed through her lips were not pained groans or strained whimpers, but pleasant little whines. Such sounds did little to aid in dispelling the blood rushing to warm both girls' faces.

Eventually, Diana had finished with both of Akko's legs; the left which had sustained the sprained ankle having considerably more little injuries overall than the right. Assured by the asymmetrical patchwork of bandages that she'd inspected the legs thoroughly enough, Diana rose, turning to sit on the bed beside Akko. Reaching over, she gently took hold of her left arm; she'd been keeping it limp at her side for the most part, except when she'd been slung between Diana and Amanda.

Akko kept her head turned away for the most part, unable to face Diana (her own feeling like it was on fire) as she began to examine her arm like she had her legs. She found herself wincing more than with her legs, her thoughts lingering less on the feeling of Diana's touch on her bare skin and more on the pain in her limb that it elicited. Her wincing -and the pained groans that accompanied them- didn't go unnoticed; Diana paid close attention to Akko's reactions, adjusting the pressure she applied delicately. She was especially careful when she came to her shoulder.

"I don't think it's dislocated at least," she noted as Akko let out a pain-filled whine. She applied a bit more pressure with her palm, drawing out a string of ouches as she felt the area around her shoulder. Despite the reaction, it didn't feel or look dislocated, just very tense and stiff, "I'm sorry in advance, but bear with it alright?"

Akko lifted her head, watching curiously as Diana shuffled further up on her bed, settling directly behind her. Keeping one hand on Akko's left shoulder, she moved to gently grasp her right as well; a brief cursory examination finding it didn't feel nearly as tense as the left. Starting slow, Diana began to press her palms into Akko's shoulders, fingers squeezing them as she kneaded the tense muscles. Akko let out a little "Eep" as she realized Diana's intent, though it was quickly overridden by another series of pained groans. Despite the pain, she did her best to remain still, letting Diana massage her back. Just that thought alone was actually a decent distraction from the pain.

"Is this having any positive effect?" the amateur medic asked after a few moments of working the tense muscles in her hands.

"I'm... not sure," her patient admitted. At least her painful grunting had mostly quieted, though she was still shifting in place uncomfortably in front of Diana, "but I trust you, so keep going?"

Diana's hands paused for a split second at hearing Akko reiterate her faith in her before resuming their work. Soon, she began to feel the tightness in her shoulders release under her touch. Painful groans were replaced by increasingly relieved moans instead, the sounds making Diana proportionally flush as Akko leaned back into her hands. Akko was too busy feeling utterly relaxed from the massage to much consider any embarrassment from it.

"That feels so~ much better~" she was practically purring in delight, moving both her arms around at her sides more freely.

"I'm... I'm glad to hear it," Diana mumbled softly.

"Knew I was right to trust you!"

"...I really don't see why..."

"Huh?" Akko blinked her eyes, turning her head to try and peek at the blonde over her shoulder, "What d'you mean?"

"Well, I wasn't able to stop you from getting hurt in the first place," she said, quickly continuing before Akko had the chance to interject, "Don't misunderstand. I'm... I'm flattered that you place such faith in me Akko, I really am," she trailed off, a frown on her face, "but to such an extent that you don't even mind when others don't seem to care about your well-being is... it's worrying."

"What, is this about Sucy?" Akko asked, turning her head back around as she let out a laugh, "Don't worry about it!" she wore a fond smile, looking down as she kicked her bandaged legs, pressing back into Diana's touch still, "I know she loves me. Even if she's bad at showing it. Or really, really good at not showing it. Honestly, I'm not sure which," she explained with another laugh.

Diana still wore a frown as she let out a sigh, "If you say so. She is your roommate, so I suppose you would be more familiar with her... behaviour."

Continuing her work while Akko hummed and nodded in agreement, Diana found her thoughts lingering on Akko's words. Specifically, "Love". Contextually, the casual ease with which she'd said it, she knew she'd meant it in the platonic sense. She felt comfortable applying the same feeling to Hannah and Barbara; she was sure it was quite common among the trios that Luna Nova students were grouped into. The closest of friends, living out their school days together. Yet when she tried to apply that same label in her mind to Akko, it felt wrong. It just didn't fit. What it conveyed was... different, from how she felt.

Akko let out a disappointed whimper as she felt Diana's hands relax their hold on her shoulders; giggling instead when she felt them begin to run down her bare back, feeling around her sides and stomach.

"H-Hey! Th-that ti-tickles!" she said in a fit of laughter.

"Not my intention..." despite the muttered response Diana smiled to herself, delighted by the sound.

She didn't find any significant injuries on Akko's torso, just a bit of light bruising that she applied a spell to. What she did find, however, were many more scars; eliciting more ticklish laughter as she traced along them with her fingers. Her curious examination of the white marring of her friend's skin paused when she came to a particularly angry looking blemish on her lower-right back.

"How did you get this?" Diana asked, concern lacing her voice.

Akko blinked, "Hmm? How'd I get what?" she strained to look over or under her arm to see what Diana could be referring to, tensing up abruptly as she felt her touching the scarred spot carefully, "O-oh, that's... umm... I got that one from..."

The mark was larger than most of those on Akko's body; a large, darkened crater, with small tendrils snaking out from the center, fading back into her natural skin tone. It certainly didn't seem like the kind of wound that the tumbles she described frequently taking in her childhood would cause. It almost looked like she'd been hit there by something very hot. Or perhaps charged with energy; magical energy specifically. Yes, a magically induced affliction, she was sure of it. Looking closer, the scarring reminded her of reference images she'd seen of those hit by Muro-

Ah. The cause of the injury, at last, clicked in Diana's mind as Akko kept trying to stammer her way through an answer. She went quiet, feeling the hand on her back withdraw. Turning in her spot, she saw Diana hanging her head, hands clenching each other in her lap as she stared down at the mark on Akko's back.

"I never did apologize for that, did I?" she said after a moment of silence.

"Eh~" Akko looked away, reaching a hand up to rub the back of her head awkwardly, "Nah, I don't think you ever did. B-But I never asked for one or anything!" she quickly looked back at her reaching a hand out to grab Diana's shoulder, "After all, the Shiny Rod fixed me right up!"

"Except for the scar," Diana pointed out, lifting her head to meet Akko's eyes.

"Well, yeah... look at me though!" she gestured down her mostly-exposed, thoroughly bandaged body; plenty of scar-tissue visible despite the bandages, "One more's no big deal."

Diana frowned, hardly seeming reassured, "This is what I was talking about," she grumbled with a sigh. Focusing on the memory for a moment, she could vividly recall how Akko looked immediately after being hit by the spell. Weak and in pain, her body overloaded with magic, eyes haggard like she was barely hanging on. And she'd done that to her, "forget others, _you_ hardly seem that concerned with your own well-being."

"C-C'mon, it all worked out didn't it?" Akko shot back defensively.

"That's no excuse!" she flinched back, startled by Diana's firm, admonishing voice, "I hurt you, and never so much as even offered an apology for it," she bowed her head forward, "I'm sorry Akko. I should have listened to you that day and there is nothing I can do or say to express just how much I regret not doing so, or how horrible I feel having harmed you. Despite that, I would still have the gall to ask your forgiveness."

Akko leaned away from her, widened eyes blinking at the sincere, heartfelt apology, "Y-yeah, sure, of course Diana!" she told her immediately, feeling rather awkward having her bowing her head to her, "L-like I said, it was no big de-"

"It was!" Diana raised her head, staring fiercely into Akko's eyes as she snapped at her, making her flinch back further, "It was horrible of me, but more than that your lack of fear for your own safety is..." Diana sank back, Akko leaning back up, watching curiously as she calmed herself some before speaking again, "it's troubling."

"Diana?"

"I find myself worrying for you frequently, Akko," Diana admitted, managing a wry smile, "it would be a great relief to me if you took better care of yourself."

Akko wasn't totally sure why, but something about her friend's words made her feel immediately flustered, "R-Right! I'll try!" she told her, quickly turning back away from her, hopefully before her face got too red.

"Thank you," Diana responded, smiling softly to herself. She knew it probably wouldn't amount to much, but at the very least she felt relieved having gotten all that off her chest.

Reaching her hands back out, Akko let out another "Eep" as she felt them on her waist again, resuming the examination. Despite the heavier conversation they'd just had, it wasn't long before she was again letting out ticklish giggles as Diana checked her sides over. A thought occurred to her as her energetic friend kept laughing and wiggling around in her hands.

"Akko, you aren't cold, are you?"

"C-Cold?" she calmed her fit of laughter enough to consider the question with a hum. Answering, "Nope!" she leaned back against her mender, tipping back her head to meet her gaze with her own curious look, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, we were talking earlier about how we both quite keenly felt the cold this morning, as well as up on the New Moon Tower, were we not?" she explained, loosely wrapping her arms around Akko's waist, finished with putting a few patches on her stomach and sides.

The bandaged girl leaned back further into the embrace, "Oh yeah, right," she mumbled, recalling the conversation as she tipped her head back to rest against Diana's clavicle. A long lock of her fluffy blonde hair draped over her shoulder acted something like a pillow as Akko shifted her head, finding a comfortable posture.

"There might not be any wind, but well... you are basically naked," Diana clarified her thought process, "You're sure you're fine?"

"Yup! Nice and toasty!" Akko declared quite contentedly, smiling brightly, wiggling a little in Diana's arms, cozying up closer to her lap.

"If you're... certain... then that's... that's..."

Cozied up. In her lap. Akko was. In her arms. In her underwear and skirt. Diana tipped her head down, able to look down the entirety of her bandaged form to reconfirm that fact. She felt the heat rise up along her face like a thermometer; she wondered briefly if it were possible that steam might escape her ears. Seeming to take notice of her friend's disquiet, Akko turned her head slightly, getting a better look at her bright red face.

"Are _you_ alright Diana?" she asked, surprised by her appearance, "You're like, bright red! I-I'm not too warm or something, am... I...?" Akko's worried tone calmed, her voice slowing as their position seemed to click in her mind too, her face's colouration rapidly darkening to match Diana's.

Diana's arms shifted to Akko's sides, letting her quickly rise to sit upright in front of her, her gaze directed firmly downwards. The heiress retained what of her composure that she could, sitting curled up on her bed behind her; placing her hands in her lap, closing her eyes as she took a few deep, calming breaths. Opening her eyes, she saw Akko tensed up, hands balled into fists on her lap as she hunched forward.

Letting out a sigh, Diana reached one hand out, "Don't tense up like that, you'll strain your injuries," she told her as her slender fingers deliberately tickled at her side.

"Q-Quit it!" Akko cried, throwing her arms up, the rest of her body relaxing as she was again thrown into a fit of laughter.

Diana did as she asked, pulling her hand away as she shifted to get up from her bed, moving to stand in front of her.

"Diana?" her cheeks remained tinted just a faint pink now as she looked up curiously, meeting an appraising gaze going up and down her thoroughly bandaged body.

"I think all that's left is..." She reached a hand out, brushing Akko's asymmetrical bangs aside to fully expose the angry red mark marring her forehead.

The moment her fingers even just brushed against the injury, Akko immediately recoiled, crawling up farther onto the bed. Her hands covered her forehead protectively as she whimpered out a string of ows.

"Akko!" Diana admonished, worry in her voice as she reached out to grasp one of her arms, pulling her back upright, "If it hurts that much then I definitely need to tend to it!"

"Do you ha~ve to?" Akko whined in pain, tears lining her eyes as she sat back up, "Can't you just kiss it better or something?"

Diana blinked, a slight blush returning at the suggestion as she held her up by her arms, "...would you like me to?"

Akko blinked too, her face similarly warming again as she looked up at her, "Umm... I-I didn't... I mean that- that it wouldn't- you don't- e-even if it- ... maybe?" she stuttered out, tripping over her words, tongue-tied.

"Just sit still and let me check it," Diana ordered, smiling wryly as she let out another small sigh.

Akko did her best to obey the command as her last injury was looked at. It certainly felt like the most painful one; probably wasn't a good sign that there was a blank spot in her memory between Diana lowering her to the ground and picking her up in her arms either. Her caretaker was as delicate as could be, using magic to soothe the pain as she examined the head injury, yet still Akko winced frequently at her prodding.

"A little bit of cream certainly isn't going to help with this..." she muttered, shaking her head as she pulled back, standing upright, "More than just something simple to relieve the pain too."

Watching as Diana took her wand in both hands, mumbling the beginnings of a spell under her breath, Akko could see and feel the magic begin to build around her. A bright green glow emanated from the forked tip of her wand, building with each mystical word. It was about then that a thought occurred to her.

"Hey, Diana?"

No response.

"Diana?"

Again, nothing.

"Dia~na~" Akko called again, louder.

"What is it?" she snapped, more harshly than intended, as her concentration was interrupted.

"Why don't you just use a spell to fix me up entirely? Come to think of it, the nurse never does either..." Akko mused, cupping her chin in one hand as the other reached to hold her opposing elbow.

Diana sighed wearily, "Because healing magic drains the stamina of the patient, essentially expediting natural healing rather than simply making injuries go away," frustration laced her tone as she struggled to maintain the spell she'd been building up while giving her explanation, "if used on someone with as many injuries as you currently have it could exhaust them, potentially worsening their condition. Thus magic is best used as an aid to more mundane medical practices," finishing with her explanation, she closed her eyes, resuming her recitation of the more powerful healing spell.

"...y'sure it wasn't just cause you wanted to feel me up?" Akko suddenly asked with a playfully teasing smirk.

And there went her concentration right out the window. The magic building around Diana dispersed in an instant, the blonde seething with frustration as she tipped her head forward, resting her forehead on the forked tip of her wand as her cheeks burned.

"Would you please be quiet for just a minute so I can make sure you don't suffer some kind of permanent brain damage?!" she roared, lifting her heated face, blue eyes wide with embarrassed fury as she yelled at her friend.

Akko winced, shrinking back, giving a weak chuckle at the harsh rebuff, "S-sorry..."

Reigning in her frustration, Diana sighed and shook her head before again resuming her recitation, magic once more building around her. Akko remained still, twiddling her thumbs as she watched and waited, feeling a bit ashamed of the joke. She knew that Diana was worried about her; it wasn't fair to tease her like that when she was going to such lengths to ensure her health.

"Leighis Slàn!" Diana declared at last, completing the incantation, lowering her wand so that the bump on Akko's head was engulfed by the green light at its tip.

Akko could feel Diana's magic flowing into her, washing over her like a cool breeze. It was warm though, despite that sensation, filling her head with a distantly comforting feeling. Distant because it still hurt more than anything she could bring to mind in recent memory. Her hands gripped the sheets of Diana's bed to either side of her as she whimpered, fighting to stay still as the magic worked to mend her.

Gradually, she began to feel the pain afflicting her head lessen; her mind able to focus less on the throbbing pain and more on the sensation of Diana's magic working its way through her body. On the comforting warmth that spread through every inch of her, willing her body to focus on healing the head injury. It reminded her vaguely of when they had both channelled their magic together into the Shiny Arc. She thought back, further than the dream they'd shared that morning. She remembered waking up in the underground Cavendish clinic; Diana having saved her life by purging the poisonous bites of her Aunt's serpentine familiars from her body.

She remembered Diana sharing her life's dream with her, how she'd convinced her to pursue it; that she could overcome any difficulty, any obstacle put before her, because she was Diana. How she'd later returned that sentiment, inspiring Akko when she felt like she'd lost everything she'd ever believed in. Those nights were such a stark contrast to nearly all their interactions that had come before. The only thing that she could think of that came even close was...

The image of crystal blue eyes, full of longing and affection, shyly looking into her own for as long as they could bear, again flashed through her mind. The thought brought a fresh rush of blood to her cheeks, compounded by the magical aura surrounding her. She could barely feel any pain in her head now, the last twinges of it disappearing as the spell came to an end.

Akko looked up as Diana dropped her arms to her sides, letting out a sigh of relief.

"...do you ever think about the night of the Hanbridge's party?" she asked suddenly, before Diana could check the results of her spell.

The heiress staggered back half a step, clearly taken off-guard by the question. She wondered just where it had come from; nothing of their prior conversations building to it at all. Had Akko somehow developed telepathy? Had she read her mind and discerned that she _had_ in fact been thinking about it just prior to her accident? No, that was preposterous. But, it occurred, if she had found herself thinking about such things, then perhaps Akko had found herself lingering on similar recollections. Why bring it up now though? Why question her about it?

Diana became keenly aware that Akko was staring up at her quite intently; deep, dark red eyes burning with a desire for an answer. How was she to meet them? How should she answer? Deny it? Deflect the question? Just move along and check that her forehead had been properly healed?

She recalled the thoughts that had led her to that evening; how Akko could so easily disturb the calm she worked to maintain. The feelings her memories stirred inside her. Amanda's incessant taunting. The way her flustered behaviour around Akko gave her such pause. She was sick of it. Sick of letting these feelings be pushed down, ignored for the distress they might potentially cause; wishing she could readily savour them. Righting her posture to stand up straight and proper, Diana gazed resolutely back at Akko, taking a couple steps forward to bridge the small gap between them.

"Yes, I found myself thinking about it just earlier today while we were flying, actually," she answered honestly. Reaching her hand out, her eyes never broke their held gaze, watching as those wine red pools widened just slightly more as it cupped her jaw delicately, "If I were to say now, what I did then... would you believe me?" Diana leaned in, closing her eyes as she pressed her lips to Akko's forehead. They remained pressed there a moment before she pulled back, smiling down at her warmly, "All better."

Akko's mouth gaped, eyes still wide as she stared up at Diana, who simply smiled down at her patiently. Her mind seemed to be lagging behind the rest of her senses; relishing the sensation of Diana's soft lips pressing against her forehead. Slowly, as she began to process what had happened, she reached a hand up, gingerly touching the freshly healed spot that Diana had pecked. There wasn't even an inkling of pain; only a faint, lingering, tingling warmth.

If she said what she had then? What she'd said then was... and if she said it now then... would she believe her? Should she believe her? Could she? She wasn't even sure she believed what had just happened; even though her brain still clung to the feeling of her lips brushing against her skin. Diana was still smiling, surely waiting for a response as she gaped up at her. She couldn't process this. She had to say something. She couldn't think. She couldn't not.

What wound up coming out of her mouth was nervous laughter as her wide-open mouth twitched up into an uncertain grin, "T-that's a... ah... a good one!"

Diana tried not to let how crestfallen the response made her feel show on her face. She was good at that. Not good enough to prevent her smile from noticeably dropping a few degrees however.

"I mean really? You? Say something like that? A-And to me of all people?" Akko's hand moved to rub the back of her head as she began to ramble. No, no, no, this isn't what she should be saying, "You'd only ever say something like that because some crazy bee-spell had you all out of it! No-not to say that I think you're cold or unfeeling or something!" she waved her hands in front of her, quickly trying to divert the idea that she could be insulting her friend. Still wrong, not right, have to get it right, "You're one of the sweetest, warmest, most thoughtful people I know!" That's better, keep saying stuff like that! "It's just that you're always so dignified; I know you wouldn't just spout something silly like that. Silly because it'd be to me I mean! Not that... that you wouldn't to... to someone suitable..."

Diana quirked a brow, tipping her head to one side slightly as Akko's frantic rambling trailed off, her smile more wistful now, "What makes you unsuitable?"

"Eh?" she perked back up slightly at that, eyes drifting off, seemingly in thought, "Well I'm... I mean, c'mon. You're Diana Cavendish! The girl who's going to restore her family's name, make people remember all the good the Cavendishes have done and will do. You help out absolutely everyone and never complain about it. Everyone says you're the most incredible witch to pass through Luna Nova in ages! I'm just Akko; a silly little dreamer from Japan who can barely even get through her classes. I mean, what would people even say to that anyway? Do you remember when Hannah and Barbara heard it and fainted?! And could you imagine what your family would say? And... and..." with every word she spoke, her expression seemed to dim, her head lowering until she was looking down at the floor.

Diana's expression deepened into a frown. Hadn't she just been thinking earlier about how much she hated seeing Akko down on herself like this? And now she'd done it again. It was still just as heartbreaking to behold. And some of the things she was saying too; she'd thought about the comparisons people could and probably would draw, the reactions they could have. As she'd previously fretted over her feelings, considering every possible direction admitting them to herself or others could go, she'd imagined firmly rebuffing such ignorance. Shouting back against whatever authority would try to tell her otherwise; singing Akko's praises from on high! She'd never done such a thing before; it was a rather enjoyable fantasy. Akko had instilled in her such self-confidence when she'd almost given up on her family's succession ritual.

"Akko I... I think you need some rest," she said with a saddened sigh. Rebuffing the critiques of her friends, peers, instructors or family was one thing. Hearing it from Akko herself though, the words failed to come. She'd said it all to her before, hadn't she? Would repeating herself be of help here? Surely Akko would remember herself, if given a chance to rest. Reaching out, she placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, "Please, use my bed, get some sleep, let your wounds heal. I'll... I'll be just around the corner, if you need anything."

Removing her hand, Diana turned away from the bed, stepping towards the gap leading to the living space. She was abruptly stopped by the feeling of something grabbing her hand, refusing to let go. Turning back around, she saw both of Akko's hands wrapped around her own.

"Akko...?"

"And... this really, really doesn't sound like me, does it?" Diana was surprised to find Akko grinning widely when she raised her head back up; tears lined her eyes, but instead of reflecting sadness, they shone brightly, determined, "You told me that you believed in my believing heart. I'm Akko: I unlocked the Seven Words of Arcturus, used the World Reconstruction Magic, stopped an evil hate missile, and I'm gonna keep going! I'm gonna make everyone in the world see how incredible magic is! I'm a great witch! And I'll keep getting greater!"

Diana blinked, taken aback by the sudden declaration. But seeing the determination revived on Akko's face immediately restored her own smile.

"Yes... yes, I know you will," she told her, nodding in agreement. Her thumb shifted, gently brushing over Akko's knuckles as she gripped her hand, "For now though, get some rest, okay?"

Akko just shook her head from side to side, "No, I'm not done!" she told her; rather loudly at that, making Diana wince at the volume of her voice, "And I couldn't have done any of it without you!"

"That's... you're giving me far too much credit. I've told you Akko, your magic is wonderful. You would have done fine without-"

"Nope!" Akko's grin widened as she shook her head again, "When I first got here, I was pretty much directionless, I'll admit it. But then I met you! And you shot me in the back!"

Diana winced harder at the blunt phrasing. Had they not just gone over that? Even though she'd apologized, hearing her say it like that was... it certainly didn't help with her fears over Akko's lacking in self-concern.

"Everyone praised you, and I wanted to prove that I could do better, _be_ better than you! You were my rival, and I'd surpass you!"

"Akko I told you that I never considered you my-"

"Doesn't matter!" Akko cut her off with a laugh, "Even if you didn't think I was good enough to compete with you; you inspired me to keep going, to be better!"

"I never thought you weren't good enough ei-"

"Lemme fini~sh!" Akko whined, pouting at the interruption. She waited a moment, continuing after Diana gave her a little nod to go on, "I have everyone to thank for how far I've come; Phasansheer Shearylla, right? But I'd never have pushed myself as far as I did without you there. I wouldn't have even had the Shiny Rod with me when I got gobbled up and unlocked the Third Word if you hadn't driven me to actually participate in the Samhain Festival. And I _definitely_ wouldn't have gotten the Fifth Word without you!"

"I... suppose I can acknowledge that much, at least. It was at my home, after all," Diana mused, chuckling warmly, cheeks blushing anew at the barrage of praise and thanks.

"Mhmm!" Akko joined in with her own giggle, "You were there to get me going at the beginning. And you were there with me, right up to the end, when we took down that crazy missile together!" she trailed off, squeezing Diana's hand a bit tighter in her own, "I was happy, having you up there, beside me," she lowered her head, hiding the growing blush on her own cheeks as her excited rambling built to its climactic point, "and... I want it to stay that way."

"Akko?" Diana looked down at her curiously, waiting for her to keep going.

"Me, making... making people happy, making them believe in magic again... a-and you, helping people, restoring your family's name... to-...toge-...ther..."

Diana's cheeks darkened, burning redder still as she realized what Akko was trying to say.

Akko swallowed hard, lifting her head, staring fixedly up into Diana's eyes, "What I want to say is that I-! I want to tell you that I'm-! That I want-! I want to-!"

She sputtered on like that several more times, a good few attempts; seemingly unable to make the last couple words come out. Diana blinked at first, her awe-struck expression shifting to an amused smile, her free hand lightly cupping her lips to stifle a small chuckle.

"Don't laugh..." Akko mumbled, shrinking back with a pout, "I'm trying to say that I-"

"I know," Diana again reached down, gently cupping Akko's jaw, a couple fingers curling under her chin, lifting her face, her other hand squeezing one of those that held it in return. She bent down, any further attempts by Akko to speak silenced by their lips meeting.

The contact was slight; little more than a faint peck. Yet even that gentle brushing, the sensation of soft lips against their own, was electric. Like a jolt rushing through them, making their hearts race, warming every inch of their bodies as their lips lingered against one another's. Akko's widening eyes had slowly shrunken, until she shut them entirely, pressing up into the kiss as Diana cupped her cheek.

The thought of when exactly she'd started wanting this flitted through her mind; swirling amidst a thousand other thoughts and feelings. How soft Diana's lips were. How nice her hand felt cupping her face. Or holding her hand. How wonderful the feeling spreading through her as their lips met was. How warm she felt just being around her. How bad she wanted to be in her arms again. The thought of _when_ quickly became discarded, irrelevant.  Right here, now, she knew she wanted this.

Her eyes cracked open as she felt Diana pulling away. Her lips puckered slightly, before curling in on themselves, already missing the sensation of hers against them. Raising her gaze, her eyes briefly met a familiar affectionate stare. The crystal blue orbs quickly darted away though, glancing off to one side.

"I... hope that was not unpleasant for you?" the heiress asked bashfully, her cheeks surprisingly only tinted a light pinkish colour now.

Akko blinked at the sight, twitching as she gave a small snicker before outright giggling; the memory of that night at the dance flashing to the forefront of her memory again.

"可愛い," she cooed, sounding just a little dazed.

"Excuse me?" Diana blinked, confused by the lovely bandaged girl slipping into her native tongue.

She giggled again at her confused tone, releasing her hand to reach her own up, cupping both of her cheeks. Before Diana could offer a single word of protest, Akko had pulled her down enough to plant a quick little peck on her lips. Brief though it was, it sent another delighted jolt through the both of them.

"You're so cute," Akko clarified in English, beaming up at her radiantly.

The light pink on Diana's cheeks rapidly darkened to an absolutely glowing red. She reached up to gently grasp Akko's wrists, pulling her hands away from her face, allowing her to look away shyly.

"Tha-Thank you, Akko," she mumbled quietly. Pausing a moment, her eyes flicked back and forth between Akko and nothing several times before she spoke again, "as are you."

If it were possible, Akko's brilliant smile widened, "Thank you! But you're cuter."

"Can we not make it into a competition?"

"Ka~y," she replied, leaning back on the bed as Diana released her wrists, "you are though."

Diana tensed up, cheeks still burning bright red before she sucked in a breath, willing herself to a state of calm again as she exhaled.

"Would you be willing to get some rest now that we've..." confessed to one another? Was that what they'd done? Conveyed their feelings? Ki-Kissed? "Said what we wanted to?" Had they though? All she'd done was make an allusion to a previous, insincere confession made outside of her own volition. And Akko hadn't been able to actually finish what she'd wanted to say. Inaccuracy aside though, it felt easier to say at least.

Raising a hand up, Akko tapped a finger on her chin, turning her gaze upwards as she hummed thoughtfully, "On one condition."

"Akko please, you need some rest, is this really the time to be bar-"

"Plea~se? Just hear me out!" the injured girl whined, interrupting the attempted admonishment.

Diana huffed, shaking her head, "Very well; what is your condition?"

"Cuddle with me?"

That wasn't fair. She'd just managed to get her roiling emotional state reigned in somewhat, and she asks _that_ of her?! She felt as though her face could explode from the rush of heat returning to it. She twitched about, looking around her room as though expecting a certain redheaded American's luminescent green eyes to be gleaming in the shadows alongside a Cheshire grin. Of course, there was no such apparition waiting to taunt her; just an adorable, bandaged-up Japanese girl kicking her legs on her bed, waiting for an answer.

"I-... I suppose that is a reasonable enough request," Diana answered after a drawn out, somewhat awkward silence.

"Yay!" Akko cheered, throwing up her arms.

Watching her bounce further up the bed with a smile on her face, Diana's eyes widened in shock, cheeks still alight as Akko threw her legs up, quickly flinging her skirt off from around her waist.

"A-Akko! What are you doing?!"

"Eh? It's weird wearing nothing but a skirt! Comfier to just be in my underwear. Wouldn't mind a shirt or something, but," she trailed off, tossing up Diana's comforter, tucking herself away underneath the blanket.

Diana let out an exasperated sigh, burying her burning face in her hands after watching Akko wriggle about, getting comfortable under the covers. Walking around the bed, she squatted in front of one of her dressers again, pulling out a loose shirt, throwing it over to the girl already snug in her bed.

"Put that on," she told her, Akko sitting up as she felt the loose garment fall over her.

She reached out to pick it up, blushing softly as she held it closer to her mostly nude form, "Thank you Dia-Wha-wha-What're you doing?!"

Her attention had immediately been drawn by the sight of Diana pulling off her flying tunic, stopping to stare back at Akko after pulling it over her head. After a moment of staring silently, she dropped her gaze, cheeks only a little flushed as she discarded the tunic before working on removing the vest she wore under it.

"It would be... odd, to get into bed wearing my full formal dress," she stated simply, sitting on the edge of the bed after removing the vest.

Akko stared at her rather openly; pulling on the shirt she'd been offered while watching Diana -now dressed in nothing but an identical shirt and her skirt- remove her boots and socks too. Her eyes followed her as she stood up, buttoning the shirt while Diana walked around to the side of the bed, lifting her blanket to climb into bed beside Akko.

Sinking back down under the blanket beside her, she shifted a bit closer to the blonde uncertainly. Her skin crawled, delighting in the warmth that was rapidly building up under the blanket, growing stronger the closer their bodies were. Akko curled up on her side, watching Diana lay flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling. They remained like that, lying beside each other silently, for a long moment. Too long.

"Diana-Eep!?"

Just as Akko began to speak, Diana rolled onto her side, blue eyes narrowed, staring fixedly into widened red. Akko felt an arm move over her, pulling her in closer. Tentatively, she managed to reach her own arms out, snaking one under and the other over Diana's waist, hugging her loosely. The quiet didn't feel so awkward anymore. It felt comforting. It felt comforting to be held. To feel her against her, however loosely. It was faint, but they could both feel the other's pounding heartbeat, basking in the warmth radiating off of each other.

Still, Akko did eventually feel compelled to speak up, comfortable as she was, "Maybe I should fall off my broom more often?"

"Don't you dare," Diana admonished with a beleaguered sigh.

"But you'll be there to catch me, won't you?"

"Please don't; I'd rather not tear out my hair worrying over you."

Akko giggled, curling her head in, nestling her forehead against Diana's collarbone. She hadn't said she wouldn't be, after all.

"Get some rest now, please?" Diana requested, her hand tenderly stroking Akko's back.

"Mmm... sure thing..." she replied, yawning quietly as they cuddled, inching ever slightly closer together.

It was then, just as her consciousness was on the edge of fading, that a thought occurred to her. She had promised that she'd get some rest if Diana cuddled with her. She could always say what had popped into mind later. But somehow, that wouldn't be nearly as fun.

"Hey, Diana?"

She let out a sigh, sounding annoyed, but hardly surprised, "Yes, Akko?"

"How's it feel getting a girl in bed with you without so much as a first date?"

Diana blinked, letting out a groan as she glanced down at the head of brown hair nestled up against her chest, "Really? I can leave if you'd like."

Akko giggled again, shaking her head, tightening her hold around Diana's waist to ensure she could do no such thing.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself."

Letting out a soft breath, Diana trailed her hand up, gently petting Akko's head. They were silent again for a few moments, before the pleasant quiet was again disturbed.

"Is there somewhere you'd like to go on a... on a date?" it was Diana who had spoken up this time.

Akko tensed a bit, barely restraining herself from letting out a delighted squeal at the question.

"Anywhere's fine, if it's with you," she answered after taking a second to compose herself.

Diana's cheeks flushed slightly, smiling warmly to herself as she nodded at the response, "Very well. I shall plan an appropriate outing for us then."

Though she couldn't see it, Akko wore a near-identical expression as she curled up against her, "Thanks Diana," she gave her a little squeeze, feeling herself, at last, drifting off as the blonde continued to caress her head, "for... every... thing..."

Diana lowered her head, planting a light, gentle kiss to Akko's crown as she slipped off to sleep cuddled up to her. Resting her head against hers, she shut her eyes, allowing herself a moment's rest as well. Her mind drifted back to the dream they'd both awoken from that morning. How warm it had felt, how comforting. How cold she'd felt waking up from it. She wondered if Akko had experienced it frequently, as she had? It didn't matter. Nor did it matter that they couldn't quite yet say what they wanted to clearly.

"Not cold, are you?" the question was barely a whisper.

Only just barely still conscious, Akko gave a little shake of her head, "Nuh-uh. You?" she mumbled back drowsily.

"Never felt warmer."

Akko gave a little hum in agreement, squeezing her just a little tighter in her arms. Diana had never been one for indulgences. But then, Akko had a way of causing her exceptions. Words could come later; now was the time to indulge in this feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, my goal of getting something finished quickly winds up being a pipe-dream. But hey, I finished! And this is far and away the longest thing I've ever written, so that feels like an achievement. I do hope that people enjoyed reading it, and love hearing what if anything they might've liked about it (Or disliked, important for improving). 
> 
> But yeah, did take longer than I would've liked. Got sick again for a bit, kept meandering about editing things. Got a time-crunch for the next bit I'm planning (Which is more Diakko, yay~), so hopefully I don't fall apart on that. Am planning to revisit this though, edit and clean things up more and also tack on an epilogue at a later date. Wanted to do more of the editing and cleaning up before posting, but I'd never get along to starting let alone finishing my next story if I did that. And as for the epilogue, it's going be kind of a comedic aside rather than the sweeter ending I wanted, so leaving things off with this third chapter for now. Again, I hope people enjoyed reading it ^^


	4. Dinnertime

Waking up from their nap a few hours later, it was with great reluctance that Akko and Diana separated and got out of the heiress' bed. After redressing largely in silence, they left the dorms; making their way towards the cafeteria to meet their friends for dinner. Close as it was to meal time, the halls were largely deserted as the two walked hand-in-hand; Akko swinging their arms back and forth with a giddy smile on her face. There was a certain spring to her step, and while Diana's gait was as rigid and composed as ever, she was unable to keep a warm, delighted smile off her face.

"Akko," Diana finally spoke up, pausing as the cafeteria doors came into sight.

"Hmm?" Akko looked back at her, stopping as she felt the pull on her arm when Diana did, "Yeah?"

She tipped her head, curiously eying the strangely nervous expression Diana wore as she glanced around them uncertainly.

"If... if it's alright with you," she began, swallowing her nervousness, managing to look Akko in the eye again, "I'd like if we could keep... what happened between us, a secret; for the time being."

Akko blinked, standing up straighter as she processed the request, "Oh... yeah... sure thing Diana," she replied, her smile dimming a bit sadly. She wanted to ask why, but a little voice in the back of her head taunted her. Why _wouldn't_ Diana want it kept a secret?

"Please, don't misunderstand me," Diana spoke before Akko could turn to enter the cafeteria; taking notice of the shift in her demeanor, "I... I've no desire, to keep it such for long. I just..." she let out a tired sigh, shaking her head, "I've had enough of Amanda's taunting for one day, and would rather not give her the additional fuel just yet."

Akko blinked again, her smile brightening now as she let out a small, amused giggle, "Oh. Alright, yeah! I guess that makes sense," she concluded, though still sounding a bit uncertain, "So... how long then?"

"Just this weekend? We'll let our friends know about..." Diana's cheeks flushed as she gave Akko's hand a small squeeze, "us... on Monday?"

Akko's smile brightened again, nodding firmly, "Sure! I can manage that," she replied confidently.

"Thank you, Akko," Diana said, smiling gratefully, "Shall we then?"

Nodding, Akko slipped her hand from Diana's, striding over to open one of the doors leading into the cafeteria. Looking down from the upper balcony, they both spotted their friends already seated around a collection of tables; Amanda and Lotte waving when they took notice of them entering. Descending the stairs, they both got a dinner tray before weaving through the tables to join their group.

"You two are pretty late!" Amanda said with a laugh as the two took their seats beside one another, "Didn't I tell you not to have too much fun?" she teased, grinning.

"Geez Amanda, lay off! All we did was cuddle!" Akko shot back defensively, blushing fiercely.

A silence immediately fell over the table, all eyes focusing on Akko, whose face miraculously turned an even brighter shade of red; hands quickly snapping up to cover her mouth. While Amanda gaped at her, she turned slowly to face Diana, who had her eyes closed as she slowly inhaled and then let out a deep breath.

"I'm sorry Diana," Akko weakly apologized for her nigh-immediate blunder.

Diana took in and let out another breath before opening her eyes, managing a smile as she spoke, "It's alright Akko."

"Wait... wait... wait, wait, wait, wait," Amanda stammered, recovering from her shock, looking between the two, "You mean, you two actually, seriously-?!"

"We haven't exactly... discussed the specifics yet, but I suppose you could say we're... together?" Diana answered, smiling as Akko gave a small, happy giggle at the admission.

Lotte and Barbara both let out a shared squeal of delight at the news, launching into their usual gossip, theorizing as to what might have happened after the two were left alone. Constanze gave a thumbs-up that Akko returned with a grin, while Diana turned down a congratulatory snack offer from Jasminka. Hannah looked as though she wanted to be shocked, but was largely distracted by Barbara's excited chatter with Lotte, while Sucy remained silent as well; glancing at Amanda out of the corner of her eye. Amanda, who was being... uncharacteristically quiet, still just staring slack-jawed at the new couple.

"...nothing to say, O'Neill?" Diana asked, a bit unnerved by the lack of the teasing she'd been expecting.

Amanda blinked, shaking her head as she stirred from her stupor, "Oh, uh, right, I uh..." she blushed, coughing into her hand as she averted her eyes, "Just kind of... curious... who confessed first?"

Diana blinked, surprised by the question; not at all what she'd been expecting, "Excuse me?"

"Like, one of you _must_ have said something that got the ball rolling, right?" Amanda clarified, "So? Who was it?"

Everyone else at the table leaned in, watching the two as they exchanged a look, thinking it over.

"That's... difficult to say?" Diana answered uncertainly.

"Eh?" Amanda groaned, sounding almost disproportionately upset by the non-answer, "Whassat mean?"

"Well neither of us really... 'confessed' per se," she told her, looking back to Akko as she recalled the lead-up to their first kiss, "We simply... got our feelings across?"

"Mmm, yeah, that sounds right," Akko agreed, smiling as she nodded. Blushing a bit at the memory, she raised a finger to her cheek in thought, "But... I guess you could say that you did first, Diana?"

"Oh?"

"Y'know, with how you kinda referred back to the LoveLove Bee incident; that kinda got things going, didn't it?"

"I suppose that would be correct," Diana mused, accepting the logic.

"So... Diana," Amanda repeated for clarity's sake. When both of her friends turned to her and nodded in confirmation, she went quiet for a moment. Letting out a large, disgruntled sigh, she slouched back in her seat, throwing a defeated arm up in the air, "Call it Cons."

Confused, Akko and Diana looked to Constanze, who nodded in acknowledgement of the command. Pulling out a remote, she tapped in a command, summoning one of her Stanbots which jumped up onto their conjoined tables.

"PAY-OUT: DIANA CAVENDISH," the small machine's robotic cry echoed through the cafeteria, drawing the attention of all the students eating as it repeated, "PAY-OUT: DIANA CAVENDISH!"

"What in the world-" Diana looked aghast at the robot calling her name, before her attention was drawn by Amanda letting out another anguished sigh.

"Dammit Akko, how could you let me down like this?!"

"Me?! What'd I do?!"

Before she could get an answer, she and Diana watched as the Stanbot standing on the table spat up a neatly sorted stack of bills, handing it to Barbara. Then another to Jasminka. And another to Sucy.

"I've told you every single time Amanda; never bet on Akko," Sucy said, cackling with a shark-toothed grin.

"Wait wait wait, what's going on here?!" Akko demanded, slamming her hands on the table as she stood up.

"They... bet on which of us would confess first," Diana deduced, horrified by the realization.

"What?!"

"I thought there was no _way_ Diana would say it first!" Amanda cried out, laying limply over the back of her chair, "All that money, gone... thought it was a sure thing..."

"I thought you'd confess and she'd turn you down," Hannah grumbled, crossing her arms as she sank into her own chair.

"I-I had faith in you," Lotte told Akko, smiling weakly; likely less out of disappointment from losing the bet and more sympathizing with the embarrassment of the situation.

Akko turned her gaze to Constanze, "Neutral moderator; she gets a cut of the pool either way," Jasminka answered the unspoken question.

"Geez you guys, this is ridiculous," Akko grumbled, frowning as Diana let out a weary sigh.

"Agreed, this entire wager is simply disgra-"

Both of their attentions were drawn in when they noticed that the Stanbot hadn't stopped handing out winnings. Rather, it was now distributing bundles of cash to a line-up of witches that had formed off to one side of the table.

"How many people are in on this?!" Akko asked, jaw dropping.

"Iunno, everyone?" Amanda answered with a shrug.

Diana just sighed, leaning forward against the table, propping her elbows up while her fingers rubbed at her temple. She could only hope this was the last bet her friends had made regarding her and Akko. Feeling a chill pass over her, she dropped one hand to her side, blindly searching out until she felt Akko's arm. Blinking at the touch, Akko glanced back at her, then down at her hand. A small smile formed on her lips as she shifted, taking Diana's hand into her own. Matching her smile with one of her own, Diana let out a calming breath, feeling the chill immediately chased away.

Betting pool aside, she really couldn't argue with the results of her day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said I wanted to do a comedic little epilogue? What was that, half a year ago now? Ahaha-better late than never?
> 
> Hopefully people like this little tacked-on joke ending. Also I went through the rest of the story in an effort to improve the grammar and punctuation. Minor stuff, but just thought I'd make note of it.


End file.
